Whispering Lake
by eorocks
Summary: Elliot has a camping trip planned with Eli, and he invites Olivia to come along. What happens when he takes Olivia out of the city..out of her element...out of their routine? This is a light romp (similar to Holiday), and is set in S12. Elliot is divorced.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I had such a wonderful time writing Holiday last summer, and I wanted to have another light-hearted romp like that one. I went camping this summer and as I was there, I started to wonder what would happen if Elliot took Olivia out of the city…out of her element…out of their routine…for a few days. So here we go.

EOEOEOEO

Elliot watched as Olivia closed another file and slapped it on top of a pile to her left. "Just two more days." He said with a smile. "Then ten glorious days off."

Olivia looked at him and gave him a half smile. She was exhausted, and she knew they both needed the time off. The city had been crazy that summer, and she and the entire squad had been pulling a lot of long hours. Cragen kept promising them that 1PP was sending help, but here it was, early August, and the only help they'd received had been temporary. Cragen knew they had all reached their breaking point and had granted them each a week of vacation. Fin and Munch had been off for a week, only returning today so they had some crossover. It was her and Elliot's turn starting Saturday morning. They had earned every minute of it, because with both Fin and Munch out, she'd barely strung together 20 hours of sleep all week.

"What fabulous plans do you have lined up?" Elliot's chair offered a squeak of protest as he leaned back.

"I'm going to go home, take a hot shower and climb into bed. And then I'm going to sleep until my ten days are up."

Elliot laughed because he knew the feeling. "Yeah…you'll sleep about 8 hours and then you'll be up. You have to have something else planned."

Olivia shook her head. "Honestly, I haven't even thought about it." She shrugged. "I'm sure I'll do some shopping and go to the gym. You know. Normal stuff. Stuff I don't get to do when I'm working 24/7."

Elliot sat up in his chair. "Liv. The point of vacation is that you don't do the normal stuff. You go somewhere…do something fun."

"That sounds exhausting." Olivia said with a laugh. "What do you have planned that's so fantastic?" She asked, turning the tables.

"Well…tomorrow I'm going to crash. But Saturday night, I'm going to take Lizzie to dinner and a play. On Sunday, Dickie and I are going to a ball game. And on Monday, I'm taking Eli camping for a few nights."

Olivia raised a brow. "Eli's what? 3? Isn't he a little young to go camping?"

"Eli saw some old photos of me and Dick and Lizzie camping. Dickie was really selling it, telling Eli about all the great things we did, and now Eli keeps begging me to take him." Elliot shrugged. "So, we're going camping."

"He's not even going to remember going." Olivia said with a slight laugh.

"We'll take photos. Plus…I've got to take my opportunities when I get them. When they get older, they don't want to hang out with me anymore."

Olivia laughed. "Well, I want to see those photos. I can't see you camping."

"Liv." Elliot said, narrowing his eyes. "I was in the Marines. You think we stayed at the Hilton?"

Olivia had to laugh again. "I guess I always forget about that. OK…so, you're going camping. For how long?"

"Well, we're planning on three nights, but if we're having a good time, we can stay longer. We've got a great spot." Elliot held up his hands, envisioning the place. "It was where I used to take the other kids when they were younger. Tree lined spot, but right on the lake. Nice little beach." He sighed. "The other sites are far enough away that you feel like you have the whole place to yourself."

Olivia loved the excitement in Elliot's voice. She knew that he didn't get to spend as much time with the kids as he'd like. It was especially hard with Eli. She knew Kathy had been accommodating in swapping weekends and weeknights, and that Elliot tried to take Eli as often as he could, but it had been rough this summer. "Sounds like heaven."

"It is." Elliot said.

Fin and Munch walked back into the squad room at that moment and overheard the end of the conversation.

"What sounds like heaven?" Munch asked.

Elliot repeated everything he'd just told Olivia as Fin and Munch sat down at their desks.

"Camping?" Fin shook his head. "No way. I'm not sleeping on the ground anymore.

John was nodding. "I always wanted to go camping when I was a kid, but that just wasn't what we did." He swiveled in his chair until he was facing Olivia. "What about you? You ever go camping as a kid?"

Olivia let out a small laugh. "You do remember that my mother was a college professor, right? My mother's idea of fun was to go to an art museum or a poetry reading. We never left the city."

Elliot always felt a small stab of guilt when he was faced with the realities of Olivia's childhood. He knew she had loved her mother, but that her childhood had been anything but normal…driven by her mother's drinking. "You never went to the beach or anything?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Yes, of course. But with my friends. When I was older." She glanced over at Munch. "And stop thinking about me in a swimsuit. It's creepy." She saw John wiggle his eyebrows and she laughed. They had all worked together too long…she practically knew what everyone was going to say or do before it happened.

Olivia looked across at Elliot and saw he was back to working on his paperwork. She smiled to herself as she pulled out the next file, thinking about Elliot's plans. He worked hard to be a good father, regardless of the circumstances. It was one of the things she loved about him.

A few minutes had passed, and the squad room was relatively quiet as they all settled in to their work. Olivia could feel Elliot's eyes on her, and she bit back a smile. It had been twelve years of this…stolen glances and lingering looks. It was just where they were after all this time. Closer than they should be…but not as close as either of them would like to be. But time and circumstances being what they were…it was just where they found themselves. Things were good between them. She glanced up and Elliot gave her a small smile and a knowing look.

Busted.

She gave him a small smile back, tucked her hair behind her ear, and went back to the file in front of her. "I swear…" She teased. "Your handwriting gets worse with each passing year. I can't tell what you've written here." She lifted the file to take a closer look. "Is this an a or an o?"

Elliot pushed his chair back from his desk and used his legs to propel it over to Olivia's desk. "Let me see that." He snatched the file from her hands and looked at the sheet inside. "Where?"

Olivia pulled the file back towards her and dropped it on her desk in front of him. She scanned the page, looking for the word she'd been unable to read. "There." She said, pointing at a witness' name with her nail.

"That says Nelson."

"Nelson?" Olivia scrunched up her features. "I thought it said Wilson." She slid the folder back in front of her and wrote the name Wilson in the space above it. "Honestly El…you need to start typing up your notes."

"Yeah, yeah." He said, waving her off with a laugh. "Of all the things I need to change, that's probably not the highest priority."

"True." Olivia couldn't resist teasing him. She waved her hand at him. "You're dismissed."

"Right." He started to push his chair back, but then he stopped. "Hey." Elliot looked over at Fin and Munch, but they were knee deep in their own paperwork. When he turned back, he saw Olivia glance over at them too, and then back at him. "I've got a crazy idea."

"Does it involve Chinese food and cold beer?" Olivia asked hopefully. She was hungry and ready to be done with this day.

"No." Elliot said. "But that does sound good." He scooted his chair a few inches closer. "I was thinking…"

"That can't be good." Olivia teased.

"Seriously. Why don't you come camping with me and Eli?"

Olivia let out a laugh, but Elliot didn't join in. "You're serious?"

"Yes. I'm dead serious. It would be fun."

Olivia shook her head and pressed her lips together. "I don't sleep on the ground El."

"We have blow-up pads to put under the sleeping bags. It's like sleeping on a feather bed."

"I'm sure." She said, rolling her eyes. "I'm a city girl. My idea of hiking is using the stair stepper at the gym."

"We're not doing any hiking." Elliot leaned in. "Come on…I never pegged you as a princess."

Olivia lifted one brow. "A princess? You didn't just say that." She knew he was baiting her…trying to get her to agree. She saw right through his tactics. "This is your time with Eli. You don't want me there."

"Eli goes to bed at 8:00. What am I supposed to do after that?"

Olivia stood up and leaned over, placing her hands on the arms of his chair. "I guess you should have thought that through before you decided to take him camping." She pushed him then, and his chair went sailing back towards his own desk. She laughed when she saw the surprised look on his face, and she turned and headed towards the vending machines.

Elliot watched her walk away, letting his eyes slide over her retreating form. Now that he'd thought to invite her along on this camping trip, he couldn't let it go.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia climbed into the passenger side of the sedan and closed the door. Elliot slid into the driver's seat as she buckled her seatbelt, and she closed her eyes and lay her head back against the headrest. "I'm getting too old for these long days." She groaned as he started up the car.

"You just need a vacation." Elliot said, shifting the car into gear. "It's been too many long days."

Olivia let out a sigh. "I guess."

"You need some peace and quiet." Elliot said as he pulled out of the precinct parking lot.

"Hmmm." Olivia said. The sound of the engine was making her sleepy.

"Think about sitting by a campfire…looking up at the night sky." He turned to look at her, but saw she had her eyes closed. "Have you ever seen a real night sky without the lights of the city? It's amazing how many stars there are."

"El…" Olivia mumbled.

"OK." Elliot said. He wasn't going to bully her into going. Still, he couldn't quite let it go. "But just think about it. Ok?" He asked as he turned down her street. "It would be fun. A lot more fun than sitting around your apartment. We'd love to have you come with us."

Olivia lifted her head as she felt the car coast to a stop. She saw her apartment building to her right, and she wondered if she had actually dozed off on the drive.

"So, you'll think about it?"

Olivia looked back at Elliot, trying to grasp the thread of the conversation. _Camping_. "Yeah." She was going to have to let him down easy; he seemed so damned eager for her to go all of a sudden. "I need to get some sleep. Good night El."

Elliot watched as she walked up to her apartment, and he waited a few more minutes until she flicked her lights. It made him smile every time. He drove away, hoping she would reconsider.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia woke up the next morning and groaned as she looked at the clock. One more day. She just had to get through one more day. And then…freedom. She rolled over on her back and rested the back of her right arm across her forehead. She thought about her plans…or her lack thereof. It had sounded wonderful when she'd first thought about it, but now that Elliot had dangled an option in front of her, she was starting to question her lack of imagination. A week with nothing to do suddenly sounded boring, and she wondered about the sincerity of Elliot's invitation.

No. She couldn't intrude on his time with Eli. He got little enough of that as it was.

She rolled over on her side and snatched her phone off the table. She saw she had a text from Elliot and she opened it up.

 _I know you were half asleep when I dropped you off last night. But the offer is still valid. Eli and I would love to show you Whispering Lake. We have an extra tent (just in case you were wondering), and all the extra gear you need. You just need to pack a bag. No pressure._

Olivia saw he had added a smiling face at the end, using a colon and a right parenthesis, and her first thought was that he had lost his mind. The Elliot she knew did not text in full sentences, and he most definitely did NOT add smiley faces to his texts. It must be some influence from his kids. But she had to smile at how well he knew her; he had known she was thinking about the camping trip.

She let out a sigh, knowing she was going to accept his invitation. He would continue to tell her all the reasons she should go while they worked side by side today, and she would continue to resist and tell him all the reasons she shouldn't go, but in the end, she would give in. Because despite the thought of sleeping on the ground…of actually sleeping _outside_ …the bugs and the dirt…it actually seemed like it could be fun. It was certainly something she had never done before. And besides, Eli was three. She imagined they may end up packing up and coming back to the city within 24 hours. What could happen in 24 hours that she couldn't handle?

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot pulled up outside Olivia's apartment. Eli was talking excitedly in the backseat. Even though he didn't really know Olivia that well, he had been excited when Elliot had told him that a friend was coming along. He texted Olivia and told her he was downstairs, but by the time he hit send, she was already pushing her way through the door of her building. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder her right shoulder and a pillow clutched against her body. He wondered what she had packed, because she had sent him innumerable text questions as she'd been trying to pack the night before. He had expected her to overpack, but now, seeing the size of her bag, he was worried that she was seriously under packed.

Olivia saw Elliot hustle out of the car and open the back hatch of the Jeep.

"Do you have enough warm clothes?" Elliot asked, taking her duffle from her.

"It's going to be 85 degrees." Olivia said.

"Well, in the City maybe. But we're headed a couple hours north. And we're in the woods. It gets cold at night."

"You told me last night not to pack too much!" Olivia said, tossing her pillow on top of the bags stacked in the back. She saw a couple of large packs of gear and some bags of groceries and a cooler. Some smaller bags were tucked in the empty spaces, but the entire back of the Jeep was packed. "That's a lot of crap." She said, looking back at Elliot.

"Yeah, well it takes a lot of crap. Plus, I had to throw in an extra tent and sleeping bag and…"

Olivia reached for her duffle. "I don't have to go along." She said, toying with lifting it back out of the Jeep. "You're the one that pushed me to go." She bit back a small smile as she said it.

Elliot put his hand over hers, keeping her from lifting the bag. "You're such a pain in the ass. Get in the truck." He said with a laugh.

Olivia laughed and then turned on her heel and headed towards the passenger side of the truck. Elliot slammed the hatch closed and he couldn't help but smile. Olivia was in a great mood, and he was really glad she was coming along. They were going to have a lot of fun.

EOEOEOEO

It had taken them over an hour to get out of Manhattan and put some distance between them and the city. Olivia had been entertaining Eli the entire time, turned in her seat to talk to him and play games with him. They were currently singing some sort of silly song, and he wondered how she knew it. As far as he knew, she was never around anyone's kids…except on the job. He glanced over at her and saw the smile on her face…he heard the laughter from his son in the back…and it made him slightly sad that she didn't have a child of her own. She would be a great mother.

"What?" Olivia could feel his eyes on her.

Elliot broke free of his thoughts and saw she was staring at him. "Huh?"

"Keep your eyes on the road." She teased, letting him know they she was well aware of the surreptitious glances he was giving her.

"I was just wondering…isn't that my NYPD sweatshirt?" He asked.

"It's mine now." Olivia said with a smile. "Possession and all that." She loved this well-worn sweatshirt. She had borrowed it at some point so many years ago, and she had returned it at the time. But it seemed to always be the one in his locker when she needed one, and it had gone back and forth over the years until it stayed permanently in her closet. Alongside a gray zipped hoodie that they also seemed to share.

"It's ours." Elliot stated. "We get shared custody."

"If you can get it back, we can share it." Olivia teased, knowing a new game had started.

"You don't see me stealing any of your clothes." Elliot said, trying to sound petulant as he maneuvered around a car driving slowly in front of them.

Olivia laughed and looked over at him, taking in the worn khaki shorts and the beat-up old sweatshirt he was wearing. "Well, maybe you should. Honestly, did you grab all your oldest clothes to take camping?"

"I love this sweatshirt." Elliot said, his voice sounding defensive. But, he loved this kind of light banter between them. It set a great tone for the next few days, and he could feel the tension of the job and the chaos of the city easing out of them with each passing mile. "And camping can be a dirty business. I hope you didn't pack any silk blouses and cashmere sweaters."

"Do you remember the fifty questions I asked you last night while we were packing?" She honestly had been in crisis mode as she packed, knowing it was too late to go out and buy anything she might need. She knew she had given Elliot a good laugh when she had asked if she needed anything special, but she really didn't know. His answers… _layers_ … _stuff that can get dirty_ … _something warm_ …hadn't been particularly helpful. But it was his last comment… _and don't forget a swimsuit_ …that had really thrown her for a loop. Of course, she hadn't thought about the fact that they were going to be on a lake. That there would be swimming.

That comment had resulted in an hour of pawing through a pile of bikinis and one-pieces and trying them all on to decide what still fit and what wasn't too revealing. She was with _Elliot_ , for Christ sake. She wasn't going on a tropical vacation, hoping to meet someone for a vacation fling (as if that ever happened…the vacation or the fling).

Although…she had lingered over one black bikini. She had turned this way and that in the mirror, fingering the material. Tugging it here and there. She had decided that she didn't look half bad…maybe even kind of sexy. She worked hard at the gym to stay in shape and was pretty proud of the fact that even at her age, she could still rock this suit. She had taken it off and lay it to the side, packing two one-piece suits. But at the last minute, she had tucked it inside of her bag.

She didn't linger on thoughts of why.

"Libbia"

Olivia laughed at Eli's pronunciation of her name, and she turned back towards him. "Yes?"

"I hungry."

"OK bud." Olivia turned towards Elliot. "Any chance we're stopping for food on this trip?" Her own stomach was growling.

"We just got on the road." Elliot said in protest. He hated stopping unless it was absolutely necessary. He just wanted to get to the campsite.

"We're hungry." Olivia said, mimicking Eli's tone. She tugged on Elliot's sleeve. "We need to eat now!"

Elliot heard Eli's laugh from the backseat, followed by Olivia's, and he knew exactly who was in charge this trip. And it wasn't him. He smiled to himself as he started to watch for signs for the next exit. He was already having a great time.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I can't believe the overwhelming support for this story! The reviews were awesome! I'm sorry for the delay in updating…and sorry if this story is ramping up slowly. I had to set the stage a little, but I know I haven't hit my stride yet with this story. So please bear with me!

EOEOEOEOEO

Eli had fallen asleep promptly after lunch, and Elliot looked over at Olivia in the seat next to him. She was completely relaxed, with her head against the headrest as she looked out her window.

"So, tell me…what made you decide to come along?" Elliot asked. The question had been rattling around in his brain because he hadn't really expected her to join them. He and Olivia didn't really spend much time outside of work together, unless it was with a larger crowd. Especially since his divorce. He was surprised he had even gotten up the nerve to ask. And even more surprised when she had accepted.

He didn't even want to dwell on the fact that maybe there was something to learn from that.

Olivia rolled her head to look at him, never even lifting it from the headrest. The hum of the road and a big lunch were making her sleepy, and she was mesmerized by the view as they rolled through lush farmland…crops at their peak in these early August days. "I don't know."

Elliot glanced over at her quickly, giving her a look that told her that he didn't believe her, before he turned his attention back to the road.

Olivia sighed. "I honestly don't know. I mean, it wasn't any single reason. Maybe because a week off on paper sounds really good, but I knew I'd just piss it away running errands and doing nothing. Maybe I just wanted to do something I hadn't done before." She glanced into the back seat at the adorable blonde haired little boy asleep in his car seat. "Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with Eli." She glanced back at Elliot. "Or with you." She smiled when she saw Elliot try to contain his surprise at her comment, and she turned her head back to look out the window.

"Oh." Elliot said, struck dumb by her comment. _Was Olivia flirting with him?_ He glanced over at Olivia and saw she was looking out the window again. He didn't know what to say after that…everything that came to mind sounded stupid. He turned his attention back to the road, and once again, Olivia saved him from himself.

"Tell me about this place we're headed. Whispering Lake."

Elliot could hear the drowsiness in her voice, but he launched into a description anyway. "It's a private campground situated on the north end of the lake. There's about 50 campsites. Some are deeper in the woods, and they're all spaced out nicely, so you have some privacy. There are about ten spots that are on the lake, and I picked one on the far end, so it's kind of away from the activity. There's a small building about halfway down. It's also on the beach. That's where you register and pay, and they rent out canoes and stuff. They have some basic food items in there. And then candy. Oh…and ice cream. Across from that, towards the woods, is a small game room. They have a pool table and foosball, and a couple of tables and chairs and some board games."

He paused a moment and Olivia hummed lightly, never opening her eyes, to let him know she was still listening. "The campsites are pretty basic. Campfire pit, picnic table. Enough trees so you can hang a hammock and have some privacy. The lake though…it's beautiful. Surrounded by tall pines, with the foothills of the mountains in the background. When you wake up in the morning, it's just so calm and peaceful…" He realized how much he had missed those camping trips then. How much he needed the escape…from the job…the city…just…life. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm really glad I can share this with you Olivia."

But when he turned to look, he realized she was already asleep.

EOEOEOEOEOEO

They had been driving for a while, and there were barely any other cars on the road. The view was breathless, with the tall pines crowding the blacktop. Everything was green, and the sky was an amazing shade of blue that you never saw in the city. A few fluffy, white clouds broke the blue, but Olivia found it amazing that they were only a few hours out of the city.

"We're almost there." Elliot said. "It's been a while since I've been here, so help me look for the sign."

Olivia spotted a battered wooden sign just a half mile further down the road…the yellow paint faded against the dark wood. "Is that it?" She pointed at a sign that said _Woods at Whispering Lake_.

Elliot slowed, and they turned to the right. The gravel driveway widened slightly and as they pulled farther in, the tress towered over them. Elliot followed the road, but Olivia could see tents and pop-up campers set up in several of the sites they passed. She could see that about half the sites were full, but that seemed logical for a Monday. Elliot slowed in front of a smallish wooden building; it had the name of the campground painted across the top.

"I'm just going to check-in." Elliot said, glancing back at Eli, who was still sleeping in his car seat. "I'll give you a tour after we get settled, OK?"

Olivia nodded, and she looked around after Elliot disappeared into the building. She saw the small game room he had mentioned behind them, but she couldn't really see the lake or beach from where she was sitting because the building was blocking the view. She heard Eli stirring and she turned, but he didn't wake. Elliot was back in less than five minutes and he smiled over at her as he slid back into his seat.

"You're going to love this site." He was really excited to show it to her, and he hoped she would appreciate the lake and the beach and the view…and everything about the experience.

Elliot's excitement was contagious, and Olivia smiled back at him. "I'm sure it's great."

Elliot backed out and then turned to the right, following the gravel road slowly as he pointed out where the bathrooms and showers were and commented on empty and full sites. He finally pointed to their site on the left and pulled the car just slightly off the road. Eli woke up at that moment and Olivia got out as Elliot helped Eli out of his car seat.

Olivia walked around the car and got a good view of the campsite then. Elliot and Eli were on her heels, and Olivia stopped in the middle of the clearing. The ground was soft dirt, brushed fairly clear of leaves and pine needles. It was about 20 feet wide, and probably as deep. A picnic table was chained to the ground to her left, and a metal fire ring with half a fire grate was about twenty feet in front of that. The space to her right was clear; she presumed for the tents. She watched as Eli ran ahead. Where the dirt ended, there was a strip of grass. As she walked forward, she saw it rose slightly, and then fell away, providing a grassy swath about twenty feet deep before it faded into a white sand beach.

Eli was already jumping in the sand, and she laughed as he sat down and promptly took off his shoes. Elliot came up behind her and she could feel his hand at the small of her back.

"What do you think?"

Olivia could hear the eagerness in his voice. "It's breathtaking." The sky was sparkling on the lake, and she could see a wall of solid pines surrounding the lake on the far side. Their campsite was at the end of the property, so the pines were thick to the right. She saw a break in the trees, and a dirt path disappear into the darkness. There were trees to the left of the campsite as well, but they had been thinned out slightly. She could see a hammock strung between two trees, and a couple swatches of color in the neighboring site, but there was still enough space to give them their privacy. As she walked down to the edge of the grass, she saw that the beach had an unrestricted view. She could see people scattered here and there along the beach, and a stack of colorful kayaks and metal canoes stacked about halfway down. She assumed it was by the main building, because she could see the beach continue on past that.

"They own this whole thing." Elliot said, as if reading her mind. "And it's surrounded by state park. So there's no one else on the entire lake."

"It's amazing." Olivia said, turning to him as he moved around her. She gave him a big smile. "I can see why you love this place."

"Whoa!" Elliot ran down on to the beach where Eli had stripped off his shirt and was working on his shorts.

"I go swimmin'." Eli was saying, pointing at the water.

"Not yet bud." Elliot said. He scooped up the little boy and his discarded clothes and shoes and carried him back to the site. He set him down the picnic table, and as Olivia wandered back towards them, she heard Elliot patiently explaining some rules to him. She saw him point to the fire pit and the lake and the road as he spoke. Then he picked him up, and walked around the site, pointing to each of the things he had just explained…and reiterated the rules.

Ten minutes later, he had Eli settled in the dirt with a bunch of toy cars and trucks, and he was starting to haul things out of the truck. He had pulled off his sweatshirt, and she couldn't take her eyes off the way the muscles in his arms rippled and bulged as he lifted packs and tents and other gear from the back. His t-shirt pulled across his back as he reached in to snag other items, and she knew she should probably be helping…but she could only stand and enjoy the view.

Olivia was starting to feel a little warm…whether it was from the sun or the view, she couldn't say…and she needed to take off her sweatshirt.

Elliot turned to drop the tents on the ground just as Olivia was pulling her sweatshirt over her head. He paused a moment, surprised to see her wearing a black ribbed tank top. It wasn't particularly revealing, but he realized just how much she kept herself covered up at work. Long sleeved blouses and sweaters with her dark pants. He hadn't seen her in a t-shirt or a dress for years, and it made him wonder why. He could see the swell of her breasts, and the material of the tank clung to her form, outlining her flat stomach. Her arms were dark and toned, and he could see the black strap of her bra peeking out from the material. He didn't know why the sight caused him to pause…but he swallowed hard as his eyes drifted up. He saw she was looking at him then…and he looked away, embarrassed that he'd been caught staring.

"You going to help, or are you going to watch?" He said lightly, taking the last of the bags out of the Jeep.

Olivia sidled up to where the gear was stacked. "Well…" She raised one eyebrow at him. "I kind of like watching." She gave him a mischievous grin and let her eyes sweep down his body and back up to his eyes before she picked up the sleeping bags and walked over to the middle of the clearing.

Elliot was slightly dumbfounded by her comment…but he supposed it was payback from the unabashed way he had been looking at her just moments before. He was glad that things were light and playful between them though. He felt like he could breath out here. That they weren't Benson and Stabler…they were Olivia and Elliot.

Somehow, that was freeing.

This was going to be fun…

He dropped the tents and showed her how to put the tent poles together and feed them through the tent structure. They found a rhythm, working side by side, and they had both tents up in less than 20 minutes. Then Elliot set out to stake them into the soft dirt. She stood at his side, handing him the stakes, and she could see he was working up a slight sweat. She kept one eye on him, and the other on Eli…but the little boy was deeply engrossed in digging his trucks into the dirt and make mounds of sand to crash his car into.

"Hey, why don't you grab the pads and the sleeping bags while I get these staked into the ground." Elliot motioned to the pile on the ground. He went back to work without waiting for a response. He looked up when he heard her drop the items near the entrance to the first tent.

"Where are the pads?" She asked, picking up a sleeping bag.

"Those orange pads…in with each sleeping bag."

Olivia opened up the stringed bag and pulled out a thin orange pad. "This?" She asked skeptically. "It's what? An inch thick?"

"Open up the valve and it auto-inflates." He said as he moved on to the last stake.

Olivia opened the valve as instructed and was immediately underwhelmed. "OK, so now it's 1-1/4 inches thick."

Elliot stood up then, a big smile on his face. He wiped his arm across his sweaty forehead. "I have a regular air mattress in the back of the truck princess."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. "I don't need an air mattress. I just expected…well…I thought it would be the longer." She held it up to her body.

Elliot leaned in slightly. "Nope. It's just to provide some extra protection from your shoulders to your ass." He looked around her pointedly and then gave her a cheeky grin. "All the important parts."

Olivia rolled her eyes and pushed him lightly on the shoulder. "Get back to work." She raised one brow. "And don't call me princess." She reached down and started to pull the rest of the sleeping bags and pads out of their bags.

Elliot laughed and crawled into the first tent. Eli saw him, and trotted over and crawled inside with him, running around the small space. Elliot stuck his head out of the tent and looked up at Olivia. "OK, now hand me a pad, and then a sleeping bag."

Olivia saw him duck back inside the tent, and she leaned over, peering inside. Elliot held out his hand, and she handed him one of the orange pads. As soon as he had laid it out, she handed him one of the sleeping bags. She followed with another orange pad, and then a sleeping bag, and she stood up. A few seconds later, Elliot stuck his head back out of the tent.

"So…" he said, giving her a mischievous smile. "I see you decided to sleep with me tonight."

"What?" Olivia said, knowing her surprise was evident in her face. She felt slightly flustered…her mind awash with images that she worked hard to tuck away.

"The sleeping bag…you handed me yours." Elliot said. He pushed himself out of the tent and stood in front of her with the sleeping bag still in hand. "I mean, it's fine with me…" He was enjoying this moment…seeing a slight flush in Olivia's cheeks.

Or maybe it was the heat…

Either way.

He was enjoying the moment.

When she didn't speak, he gave her a break. "I think you meant to hand me the smaller sleeping bag…the kids one…" He jerked his head towards his tent. "For Eli." He handed the one he was holding to her, and that seemed to break her reverie. "Just make sure you close the screen on your tent after you put those things in there." He scooped up Eli's bag and disappeared back into his tent.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia had spent a little extra time in her tent, thinking about the banter between her and Elliot since he'd picked her up from her apartment. The lingering looks, the comments. On both of their parts. It wasn't anything overt, but it was just a little farther than they had ever taken anything before. But for some reason, out here…when they weren't working…weren't surrounded by dozens of people that were keeping an eye out for that very thing…it seemed to be OK. It was fun to let their guards down a bit. She wasn't going to over analyze it…at least from this point on. She was just going to go with it and have some fun.

She could hear Eli and Elliot talking outside the tent…the sound of dishes clattering and chattering between the two of them. It was mostly Eli asking Elliot questions, and Elliot patiently answering them. Then she heard Eli calling her name. It got louder and then he was at the door of her tent.

"Lunch!" He yelled really loudly, and Olivia couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm. "Coming." She yelled and grabbed her clothes bag. The sun was beating down on the site, and she was really warm. She slipped out of her jeans quickly and pulled on a pair of white denim shorts. She yanked her tank down over the waistband and then pulled her hair back and slipped it into a ponytail. Moments later, she crawled out of the tent awkwardly…simply because there was no graceful way to do it…and then straightened up. Eli was waiting for her, and she looked over at Elliot as she grasped his small hand. She bit back a smile because she caught Elliot's eyes trailing up her legs.

Yes…this was definitely going to be fun.


	3. Chapter 3

Eliot couldn't take his eyes off the woman standing before him. This was definitely not Detective Benson. This was Olivia…and in many ways, he felt like he was seeing her…really seeing her…for the first time. Her hair was pulled back from her face, and with the tank and the shorts, she looked relaxed…at ease. He tried not to stare, but there was so much bronze skin on display that he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. Her legs were long and toned, and the defined muscles in her arms showed her dedication to her workout routine. He tried not to let his eyes linger on the way the tank top clung to her breasts, and he lifted his eyes to hers. He saw a knowing look in her eyes…an acknowledgement that she knew what was running through his mind right now…and she wasn't going to call him on it. In fact, with the small smile on her lips, he thought that maybe she had purposefully wanted to get this kind of visceral reaction…that she was enjoying it.

It made him feel a little bolder. "What did you do with my partner?" He teased.

He saw Olivia raise a brow as she let Eli lead her over to the picnic table. "I thought we were on vacation." She said. She climbed on to one of the benches, directly across from Elliot. Her eyes dropped to the sandwiches laid out in the middle of the table, and then she lifted them slowly to look at Elliot. "Am I mistaken?"

Elliot could see she the small smirk on her face, but he realized there was a deep question buried within the question asked. She was asking permission to let loose a little…to be something other than what they were forced to be on a daily basis. "You…" He stood up as he slid a sandwich in front of Eli. He climbed off the bench, and came around to get Eli settled to eat. "Are not mistaken." When he walked back to his seat, he tugged Olivia's ponytail lightly. "I like the hair." He trailed his fingers lightly across the back of her neck before he rounded the table and sat down back across from her.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia had kicked off her flip-flops as they played catch with Eli on the beach. Elliot had a soft ball that was slightly larger than a baseball, and he was throwing it lightly to Eli. The little boy used all his energy and focus to catch it, but he missed it about half the time. He would dive into the sand to retrieve it as Elliot pretended to go after it, and his laughter and Elliot's smile made her laugh herself. Elliot was taking turns tossing the ball to Eli and then to Olivia, and she was surprised the little boy so patiently waited his turn.

"Hey!"

Olivia turned, and saw another little boy, who appeared to be a little older than Eli, running towards them on the beach.

"Can I play?"

Olivia wondered where this kid had come from, when she saw a man and woman heading their way. The man yelled out. "Dylan!" But Dylan was already standing next to Eli, and Eli handed him the ball. Dylan turned and tossed it to Elliot, and the game was on.

As they approached, Olivia could see that they were younger than she and Elliot, but by maybe 10 years. They woman was a short, with an athletic build and blonde hair. She was wearing a loose fitting tank top and denim shorts. The man had dark hair that he wore a little longer, and his skin was darkened by the sun. He was probably Elliot's height, and was wearing baggy khaki shorts and a mustard colored t-shirt.

"I'm sorry." The man said as he neared Olivia. "We were headed down to the beach and then he saw your boy and…"

Olivia wanted to correct him, but the woman chimed in. "He's not exactly shy." She said by way of explanation. "He just loves playing with other kids." She elbowed the man lightly. "I guess we're boring…"

"It's fine." Olivia chimed in. "It's not that big of a deal. He's more than welcome to play with us."

Elliot threw the ball towards the boys, but it sailed over both of their heads. The dark haired man leaped towards it, stretching out his arms and catching the ball just as he hit the sand. Both boys were on him then, wrestlng and laughing as they fought for the ball. Eli managed to get it, and he pumped his little legs towards Elliot laughing and screaming for Elliot to save him.

"I guess we're playing." The blonde said as Dylan and the man jumped up and gave chase. "I'm Brr… and that's Gabe." And then she took off after the boys as Elliot scooped up Eli..

The craziness continued, with the adults letting the boys have their fair share at holdng on the ball, slowing down in their chase, and letting them catch them when they gave chase. It had been going on about twenty minutes when Elliot called a time out. He jogged up to the campsite and came back with some bottles of water for everyone. They all sat down, and Gabe and Bri introduced themselves again, and Olivia and Elliot did the same. The boys had found some sticks and were digging in the sand, and Elliot went up and got some buckets and Eli's trucks for the boys to play with.

Gabe pointed out that they were in the campsite right next to Elliot's, and that they'd been there since Friday. They had driven up from New Jersey, and were staying for the week. Olivia was glad that they didn't ask what they did for a living. She didn't want to lie, but she hated how people's perceptions changed when they found out they were cops.

Elliot pushed himself up out of the sand, giving Olivia a mischievous smile. "The kids may have abandoned us…but who wants to play?"

Gabe was up in a heartbeat, and Olivia saw Bri roll her eyes. "Boys." But then she was up, chasing after Gabe as he caught the throw from Elliot. Olivia pushed herself up, and very soon it was clear that it was the men against the women. Olivia knew how competitive Elliot was, and she could see that Gabe was the same. But apparently, Elliot had forgotten about her own competitive streak.

Olivia's long legs worked in her favor and she leapt up and intercepted a ball thrown from Elliot to Gabe. But Gabe didn't give up, and he bumped his body into her lightly, knocking her slightly off her feet. He nabbed the ball as she caught herself, and he tossed it to Elliot. She saw Elliot's eyes on her, making sure she was okay. She shifted then, and let out a small cry. She reached over and grabbed at her ankle, and she smiled as Elliot rushed over to where she was standing.

"Are you okay?" He asked, breathing heavily with exertion as he wrapped a hand around her bicep.

"I'm fine." She said. She stood up and snagged the ball from his grasp as she pushed him back lightly. She caught him off guard, and she heard him yell as he fell into the sand. She couldn't stop laughing as the took off.

"You're going to pay for that!"

Olivia looked over her shoulder as she ran, and she zigged and zagged as Elliot gave chase. She heard Bri cheering her on, but then she heard Elliot's heavy breathing behind her. She looked back, surprised at how close he was. She dodged right, but she felt his hand wrap around her ankle and she went down. She dropped the ball as she caught herself with her hands. She couldn't stop laughing, and then she felt Elliots hand on her hip, turning her body over. He was climbing up her body and she fought him off as she laughed. But he caught her hands and pinned them next to her head as he straddled her upper thighs.

Elliot looked down at her triumphantly and he saw the flush in her cheeks and the smile on her face. She was breathing as heavily as he was, and he could see her chest heaving in his peripheral vision. He was mesmerized by the sight of her…and by her breathy objections…but the only thing he could think of was that he wanted to kiss her.

Olivia's eyes caught his then and she stopped fighting against him for a moment. He knew he should move…that he shouldn't be pressing her body into the sand with his…shouldn't be holding her down, but he found it interesting that she wasn't fighting him any longer.

"Is this payback?" She asked, her voice throaty as she tried to catch her breath. If this was punishment, she would gladly take it. Elliot's weight wasn't crushing her, but he was definitely in control, and it made her think things she shouldn't be thinking about it. They were in public…but she could see the look in his eyes. The look that let her know he wanted to kiss her. And God…she wanted him to.

"Daddy!" Olivia saw Eli come crashing into them. Elliot released her arms then and slid off her body as he let Eli tackle him. She was momentarily stunned at the sudden shift, but Elliot scooped Eli up and they were off running, and the moment was over. She sat up, rubbing her wrists where Elliot had been gripping them and brushing the sand off the back of her arms and out of her hair. She saw Gabe and Bri plopped down in the sand where the boys had been playing. She pushed herself up and went over to join them, arriving moments after Elliot and Eli crashed into the sand next to them.

Gabe and Bri were talking about dinner plans but Olivia couldn't stop thinking about the feel of Elliot's body and the look in his eyes. She glanced over to where he was sitting with Eli in his lap. He looked up and caught her eye, and gave her a wink.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia had gone to take a shower and cool off…and to get all the sand off her body. With all of the running around and crashing into the sand, she had sand in places she didn't even want to think about. When she walked back into the campsite, she saw Eli sitting at the picnic table with a coloring book and crayons, Elliot had cracked a beer and was sitting next to him, asking questions as the small boy drew on the paper.

Elliot looked up as she walked back into the campsite and gave her a big smile. "Feel better?"

Olivia nodded as she head towards her tent. "There was so much sand." It was getting to be later in the day and the sun wasn't as strong, but it was still warm. She had opted for another pair of shorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt, and she tossed her dirty clothes and toiletries into the tent. Once she had zipped up the screen again, she turned back, surprised to see Elliot standing just a few feet away. He had another beer in his hand, and he held it out to her.

"Here you go."

"Thanks." Olivia said as she took the offered drink. She saw Elliot was staring at her hair. She unconsciously put a hand to the wet strands and raised an eyebrow.

"Your hair looks like it's curly." Elliot said. He almost reached out, but kept himself from doing it. He had to remember to keep some boundaries in place. So many had been broken just today.

Olivia shrugged. "Just a little wavy." She said. She felt slightly self-conscious and she focused on getting the cap off her beer and taking a drink.

Elliot took a step back and glanced back at Eli to make sure the little boy was doing ok. He turned back to Olivia. "Gabe and Bri…" He jerked his head in the direction of their campsite. "They wanted to know if we wanted to come over to their campsite for burgers and brats."

"Really?" Olivia was surprised.

"Yeah…really." Elliot said.

"That's kind of odd. They don't even know us."

Elliot laughed. "I know our job makes us suspicious Liv, but it's just a dinner invitation. The boys hit it off and they're nice." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Do your senses tell you something else?"

Olivia laughed. "No. I guess…" She smiled. "You're right…I'm just not used to striking up friendships with strangers. Sounds great." She really didn't know why it seemed odd to her. Maybe she was just used to being in the city, where no one went out of their way to talk to anyone they didn't know. Or maybe it was the nature of the job. But Bri and Gabe hadn't been anything buy nice.

"Good." He reached into his tent. "I'm going to take a shower, and then we can go."

EOEOEOEOEO

Two hours later, they were all sitting around the fire pit in chairs, laughing and talking after dinner. Bri had set the boys up in one of the tents with a movie, and Elliot had gotten up several times to check on them.

They had both learned a little about each other, and it didn't seem odd at all. Bri and Gabe were both down to earth people, and it turned out they were both in social work. They didn't seem phased at all when Elliot and Olivia told them they were cops, and they were all happy to agree that they wouldn't talk about work during the evening. This camping trip was a welcome and much needed respite for all of them, and the conversation turned to other things.

"Gabe and I have been together for 7 years." Bri said. "Dylan was a surprise, but we couldn't be happier. He's going to be 5 next month, and he's honestly made us so happy." Bri looked over at Gabe and Olivia saw he was nodding in agreement.

"It's true. We maybe would have broken up, but with Dylan…." Gabe shrugged. "Things are good."

Bri looked over at Elliot and Olivia. "How long have the two of you been together?"

Olivia was surprised by the question, and realized she should have anticipated it. Explaining their relationship to each other was always complicated. No one would even begin to understand what it meant to say they were partners…

"12 years."

Olivia's head whipped towards Elliot as she heard him speak. In the next second, his hand snagged hers and he intertwined his fingers between hers as he brought it up to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

"Lots of ups and downs…" Elliot winked at her. "But things are good."


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I know some people are getting impatient at the slow burn, but don't worry, it will be worth it. I love exploring this side of them. The tiny steps forward…the uncertainty…and the moments of bravery as they explore this complicated relationship. Thanks for reading!

EOEOEOEO

The sun had set an hour before, and the boys had both fallen asleep inside the tent. They were all still gathered around the firepit and had done some damage to their supply of beer. Olivia was really enjoying herself. She didn't know if it was the ease of talking to Bri and Gabe, spending time like this with Elliot, or just the new experience of camping, but it was the most fun she'd had in a long time. She realized that she had missed out on a lot of nights like this. She had never had a big circle of friends, as a child or as an adult. And while Gabe and Bri weren't likely to be long term friends, she knew she had to make more time for fun and relaxation in her life. She was so glad that she had decided to come along, and she reminded herself to thank Elliot later on.

She glanced over at him, lounging in the chair next to her. He was telling some story about some trouble he'd gotten into with his buddies in the Marines, but he caught her eye and winked at her as he continued on with his story. Olivia loved the connection they shared, and she thought about everything that had happened that day.

 _Things are good._

Things _were_ good between them, and she wondered what the next few days would bring. She was surprised at her own lack of anxiety at what might happen. Her penchant for over-analysis lay dormant, and instead, she let her imagination take her to places she normally didn't allow. Or at least, those she reserved for her most private moments.

"Hey."

Olivia looked over and realized she had tuned out to the past few minutes of the conversation. Elliot slid his hand over her forearm.

"Ready to get going?" He asked. "It's getting late."

"Oh, sure." Olivia stood up and smiled. "This was fun."

"Yeah." Gabe lifted his beer as if in salute. "It was!"

Bri pushed herself out of her chair and gave Olivia a quick one-armed hug. "We'll probably see you tomorrow."

Elliot opened the screen on the tent and scooped Eli into his arms. He turned and saw Olivia was behind him. He realized he was a little buzzed, and he focused on not tripping as they made their way through the trees and the longer grass between campsites. The last thing he wanted to do was drop Eli. He could feel Olivia's hand on his lower back.

"It's so dark." She whispered. "We should have brought a flashlight."

Elliot thought he could hear a slight slur in her speech…or maybe it was just his hearing and the fact that she was whispering. They had both probably stayed by the fire too long. But it had been so relaxing…they had really clicked with the other couple. He had pulled out old stories that he had practically forgotten about…things he was pretty sure Olivia had never heard. And they managed to share a couple of funny stories of things that had happened to them as partners without dragging down the mood with case details.

 _I get hit and you get hit on._

Bri had really laughed at that one.

 _Are you ready for me daddy?_

Gabe's ears had perked up on that one, and Elliot felt bad about glossing over the details of some horrible cases, but there had been some memorable moments over the years.

Elliot made it into the clearing of their own campsite and he felt Olivia stumble slightly behind him. "You okay?" He whispered, pausing as she caught up.

"Yep." A few steps later, they were standing in front of Elliot's tent.

"Open the screen for me, will ya'?" He shifted Eli in his arms as Olivia moved in front of him. He took a step back as she zipped open the screen door. As she stood up, she knocked his arms lightly, and he took another half step backwards.

"You okay to get into your tent by yourself?"

Olivia didn't know what she had been expecting, but she felt a surge of disappointment that the night was going to end so abruptly. "Oh. Yeah. Of course."

"OK." Elliot said. There was very little ambient light, and he couldn't see the look on her face right now. Did he hear a little bit of disappointment? He'd like to think so…because it matched his own. But he didn't trust himself right now, and he was worried that if they had any time alone tonight, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from kissing her. And if he kissed her…

And he wasn't sure if they were ready for that. If that's even what she wanted.

Elliot turned to the side, shifting Eli's body away from her, and leaned in. His lips caught her temple, and he placed a gentle kiss there. "Night Liv." He said softly. "Sweet dreams." Then he ducked inside of the tent.

Olivia heard him rustling inside, and she stood there, surprised that he had gone to bed. She was jolted from the spot when she heard him zip the screen door of the tent closed, and she turned and walked the few feet to her own tent. She felt her way in the dark, cursing the darkness, and cursing herself for not seizing the moment by asking him to put Eli to bed and to come back outside.

Maybe it was for the best.

It was late. They didn't have their own fire. They were both a little drunk…or at least she thought Elliot was.

Olivia shed her clothes and climbed into her sleeping bag, worried that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep on the hard ground. It wasn't until she woke later that she realized she must have fallen asleep right away. She fumbled around for her watch, running her hand around the floor of the tent until her fingers felt the cold metal. As she lifted it up to her face, the screen lit up and she saw it was about 2AM. She didn't actually know what time they had gone to bed, but as she shifted, she realized her body ached from the hard ground. She must have been sleeping in the same position for hours.

Olivia listened to the quiet…and then realized it wasn't quiet at all. There was a chill in the air, and the wind was rustling through the branches of the trees. It sounded a little spooky and she realized how the lake had gotten its name. It did sound like whispers echoing off the trees, and she tried to get the imagery out of her mind because it that spooky factor was ratcheting up. She could hear other noises, but she wasn't an outdoor person, so she wasn't certain what they were. Bugs…frogs…she had no idea.

She started to wonder what kinds of wild animals were out there. Elliot had mentioned bears and other, smaller animals like raccoons. It's why he had put the cooler and all the food back in the truck before they had gone over to their neighbors. Suddenly, she couldn't get the idea of a bear out of her mind. She wondered if she'd be able to hear one, or if one could be sitting on the edge of the woods, waiting for one of them to leave her tent.

She knew she was being absolutely ridiculous. She took on some of the most horrible people in the city on a daily basis…she shouldn't be frightened of a wild animal. But without her gun at her side, she felt vulnerable.

Maybe she was still a little drunk.

Olivia realized she had to go to the bathroom. _Damn it._ She couldn't imagine walking over to the building that housed the showers and toilets. Especially without a flashlight. She wondered if she could hold it, but the more she thought about it, the more she knew that wasn't going to happen. It would be impossible to fall back asleep.

"Liv?"

Olivia almost jumped out of her skin when she heard her name.

"Is everything OK?" Elliot asked…his voice a loud whisper. "I can hear you rustling around in there."

"I'm fine." She shot back. "I…I have to go to the bathroom."

"Just go to the edge of the campsite." Elliot said. He knew she wouldn't want to walk all the way to the toilets. It was easy to forget that she'd never done this before, and he sat up, digging in the back of extra gear. He found the pack of wet wipes he had packed…assuming she hadn't thought to bring toilet paper for herself. As soon as he had them in hand, he realized that Olivia hadn't responded. "Liv?"

"It's fine. I'll be fine."

Elliot furrowed his brow. "It's not a big deal." He thought maybe she was embarrassed; he didn't imagine Olivia had ever peed in public. But what did he know?

"I know…"

Elliot could hear the hesitancy in her voice. "Here." He unzipped the tent, and tossed the pack of wipes towards her door, hearing a whack as it hit the ground. He jumped when he heard a small scream erupt from the tent next door.

"What was that?" She asked breathlessly.

"I just tossed you some wet wipes." It was in that moment that he realized she was scared. He thought of the hard as nails, kickass partner of his, and he couldn't reconcile that thought for a moment. But he knew she was out of her element here, and it was dark as hell tonight. "Liv, there's nothing out here. Do you need me to go with you?"

Olivia was embarrassed that Elliot knew she was scared. But it was even more embarrassing to ask him to escort her to the tree line to go to the bathroom. And honestly, just knowing he was awake and would come to her rescue made her feel better. "No!" She said. "I'll be fine." She slipped out of her tent, and walked slowly, shuffling her feet until she felt grass at her feet. She debated going a little farther, because now she was mortified that Elliot would hear her, but the sounds of night were freaking her out. She slid down her underwear and squatted, wishing for the sounds of honking horns and sirens. When she was done, she shuffled back to her tent. As she climbed inside of her sleeping bag, she realized she could hear Elliot's light snores.

So much for protecting her from the wild.

EOEOEOEO

Elliot kept glancing over at Olivia's tent, but he didn't hear her stirring. He and Eli had been up since about 7. It was really hard for him to sleep once the sun came up, and Eli had never been a late sleeper either. They'd had breakfast already, and he and his son were playing with Legos on the picnic table. He'd had three cups of coffee, and he was getting jittery, anxious to get moving. He looked at his watch again, and saw it was almost 9.

A part of him wondered if she was laying in there thinking about the night before. He knew he had surprised her with his comments…and by holding her hand. But she hadn't corrected him and hadn't pulled her hand from his. She had gone along with it.

Maybe she just hadn't slept well.

He turned his attention back to the Lego tower. Moments later, Eli crashed his toy dinosaur into the tower and made a roaring sound.

If she hadn't been awake, she would be now. He'd kept Eli quiet as long as he possibly could.

Sure enough, he heard movement. But it was a full ten minutes before she emerged. She was wearing black leggings and a white t-shirt, and she had a small bag in her hand and a towel over her arm. She looked exhausted, and he felt bad about Eli waking her.

"Good morning." He said brightly. He swung his legs out from the bench and got up. He walked over to the grate and used an oven mitt to lift the metal coffee pot and pour her a mug of coffee.

He turned and saw her standing at the end of the table, saying good morning to Eli.

"Here you go." Elliot said, handing her the plastic mug.

"Hmm." Olivia said non-commitally as she took the coffee. She hadn't slept at all after she'd been up to go to the bathroom. She couldn't find a comfortable position, and mosquitos had been buzzing around the tent all night. She swore she'd killed at least a dozen, and she could feel itchy bites on her arms.

She set her things on the bench and slid in next to Eli. The little towhead was busy rebuilding his tower, and he ignored her for the most part. Olivia sipped the hot coffee as Elliot slid back into his seat.

"I'm guessing you didn't sleep very well last night." Elliot offered, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"It's too quiet here." Olivia said as she took another sip.

"Are you joking? There are tons of sounds out here at night."

"Creepy sounds." Olivia said.

"I thought maybe it was sleeping on the ground."

"That didn't help."

"You know I was just teasing you before. I have an air mattress you can use."

Olivia didn't want to admit a weakness, but she knew she was going to need to get some sleep tonight or she'd be unbearable. "I'll figure it out later." The warm coffee was starting to work its magic on her and she looked up at the beautiful blue sky. It was already quite warm out, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. She dropped her eyes and landed back on Elliot. "That was fun yesterday. And last night."

Elliot gave her a small smile. "It was." He waited a beat to see if she was going to say anything else, but it was clear that she wasn't. "Gabe and Bri are great. And Eli really like Dylan. He already asked to play with him today." He waited a beat, but Olivia was focused on her caffeine intake. "I know that I kind of mislead them about…" He waved a hand between them. "Us…but…" He shrugged his shoulders. "It's kind of hard to explain to people."

"That we're partners at work?" Olivia asked. She was interested to hear what he was going to say. What his justification would be for his purposeful misdirection. She saw him cock his head slightly, and she saw the challenge in his eyes.

"Is that what we are? Partners at work?" He slid the palm of his hand across his chin. "Is it that simple?" Elliot saw her eyes slide down to the mug in her hands. He told himself not to push her…but part of him was done with that. "You could have corrected me…" Her eyes flashed back up to his. "Last night." He was kind of surprised that she hadn't. "You could have clarified that we work together." He waited a beat, curious now. "Why didn't you?"

Olivia didn't say anything as she decided how she wanted to answer that question. She continued to be shocked by how bold Elliot was being, and she decided she owed him a little honesty herself. She looked up at him, and saw he was the one that had looked away, certain that he wasn't going to get an answer to his question. "Because…" She swallowed hard. "Technically, we _have_ been together 12 years." She saw the disappointment in her answer, and she knew she'd taken the easy way out. "But really…maybe I just liked the idea of it. Of them thinking…" She got tongue-tied then, unable to finish the thought. "It doesn't really matter now, does it?" It wasn't as if they were going to go back and clarify things now. She took one last sip of her coffee. "I'm going to head to the showers."

Elliot knew that was the end of the conversation, but he couldn't help but smile as he watched her head out of the campsite.

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot had kept Eli in the campsite for about as long as he could. The minute Olivia returned from the showers, Eli was up off the ground, tugging at her hand.

"We goin' onaventure."

Elli kept repeating it, and it took Olivia a few times to realize what he was saying. "An adventure?"

"I told Eli we'd go on a hike." He pointed towards the path in the woods. "See if we can find any bugs or worms or maybe even a snake." He wiggled his eyes. "You game?"

"Ah…no." She didn't mind the hike, but the rest sounded awful. Besides, she wanted to make sure that Elliot had some alone with Eli. "I think I'm going to get some sun. Read a little. Maybe take a nap."

She watched as Elliot and Eli headed towards the path that disappeared into the woods. Elliot had a backpack slung over his shoulder, and she could see a large water bottle in the side pocket. Eli was carrying a small red plastic bucket, and it was swinging and hitting his legs as he walked. Olivia wished she had a camera to capture the moment as Eli slipped his small hand in Elliot's. It made her heart ache slightly, but it passed quickly. In the moment before the trees swallowed them, Elliot turned and waved at her, and she waved back.

She marveled again at the change in him…in them…on this trip. It was nothing like she had imagined, and she felt a sliver of hope that this was maybe the beginning of something.


	5. Chapter 5

Olivia poured herself another cup of coffee and then sat idly at the table, picking at a muffin. It was still relatively quiet at this time of the morning, but she realized she could hear birds chirping, the muffled sounds of people talking, and kids yelling and laughing. She wondered how long Elliot and Eli would be gone; she figured she had at least an hour or so before Eli's legs gave out.

The August sun was already warm on her skin, making her feel sleepy. Despite the coffee, she realized she was still exhausted from her lack of sleep the night before. Olivia eyed the hammock, but it was really shaded beneath the trees. She turned towards the lake. The beach was peaceful on this end, and while she didn't want to lay in the sand, she thought the grass leading down to the beach would make the perfect spot for a nap.

Ten minutes later, she had cleaned up Eli's Legos and the breakfast food, mindful of Elliot's comments about attracting unwanted visitors. She slipped into her tent, contemplating a change in wardrobe. She really wanted to get some sun, and she pulled two swimsuits out of her bag. She didn't want to fall asleep and wake up burned…but putting her suit on would save her another clothing change later on. It wasn't exactly easy to maneuver in this tent.

Olivia grabbed the one piece, a black ribbed tank top and a pair of white, cotton shorts. She stripped off her leggings and t-shirt…then her underwear…but then she froze as she heard someone in their campsite.

"Hey! Anyone home?"

Olivia ducked down and grabbed her sleeping bag, recognizing Gabe's voice. She clutched it against her body, trying to decide if it was better to pretend she wasn't there or yell out. She was worried that he would look inside the tents…even though she knew she was being ridiculous. But she couldn't help her naturally suspicious nature. "Hey." She answered as Gabe called out again. "I'm in my tent."

"Oh." Gabe said. "Sorry to bug you. Is Elliot around?"

"Uh…" She didn't want to admit she was there alone…her cop instincts kicking in. "He'll be back any minute."

"OK." Gabe said. "We're just going into town, and we wanted to see if you guys wanted to go along or if you needed anything."

"I think we're good." Olivia said. "But thanks." She added quickly. She saw a shadow cross in front of her tent, and she pulled back slightly, drawing in a sharp breath.

"Are you okay?" Gabe asked.

Olivia realized he was right outside of her tent, and she took a step backwards at the proximity of his voice. "I'm fine." She said trying to even out her voice.

"Are you sure?"

Olivia heard more footsteps and wondered if it was Elliot and Eli. But she heard a woman's voice, and realized it was Bri. "Ready to go?" Bri asked.

Olivia dispelled the breath she'd been holding. But she realized Gabe hadn't moved.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Gabe asked softly.

Olivia realized in that moment that Gabe wasn't some kind of threat. He must have heard the nervousness in her voice and took that as a signal that maybe something was wrong. As a social worker, he was tuned into to people's voices…their emotions. She wanted to laugh at the thought that Elliot would ever hurt her, but she knew he was trained not to judge by outward appearances. "I'm fine Gabe. Really. You just caught me by surprise."

"OK." He said.

Olivia could still hear the hesitancy in his voice, but then Bri and Dylan were there, and she could hear him asking about getting a treat at the store. "Let us know when you're back from town." Olivia said. "Have a good time!" They said their goodbyes and Olivia was alone again.

She tossed her sleeping bag back on the ground and sat down, replaying the entire exchange in her mind. She didn't want to think about her natural inclination to be suspicious…to question the motives of everyone around her. It would force her to reevaluate her choices yet again…to dwell on her small circle of friends, and her inability to let anyone get too close to her.

Olivia let out a groan, thinking that Huang would have a field day with all this psycho-analysis. She'd been this way her entire life. It wasn't likely she was going to change to any great degree at this stage in her life, especially with the job that skewed her perception of everyone. She let out a sigh…hearing Huang in her head.

 _It's never too late._

Olivia tossed the one piece back into her bag and fished out the black bikini.

EOEOEOEOEOEO

Elliot emerged from the woods, shifting Eli on his shoulder. The small boy had his head resting on Elliot's shoulder, half asleep. As Elliot walked into the campsite, he didn't see Olivia, but he didn't want to call out and rouse Eli. He knelt down in front of his tent and set Eli down gently.

"Let's take a quick nap." He said. Eli let out a sound of protest, but he stumbled into the tent and practically fell on top of his sleeping bag. Elliot watched as he buried his head in his pillow and clutched his stuffed dog, and seconds later, he was asleep.

Elliot backed out of the tent and zipped up the doorway. He knew Eli would sleep for a couple of hours, especially after all the running he'd done in the woods. He looked around the campsite and saw that Olivia had cleaned up. He didn't hear any noise from her tent, and she wasn't in the hammock. He started walking towards the area that faced the lake. As he neared the edge, he saw her. She had taken her sleeping bag and spread it in the grass, and he saw a beach towel balled up beneath her head. She was laying on her side, with her legs bent slightly, and her arms were tucked near her chest. He saw a book laying on the blanket beside her, and he realized that despite the kids playing on the beach and the general buzz of activity surrounding her, she was sound asleep.

Elliot glanced back at the tent, listening for any sounds from Eli. He went back and checked on him again, and saw Eli was still curled up inside. He knew he'd be able to hear him easily, and he walked quietly to where Olivia was laying. He stood there a moment, simply watching the way her chest rose softly with each breath. His eyes flicked up to her face…her long lashes resting against her upper cheeks. He saw a smattering of freckles across her cheeks and her nose and the way her lips were parted slightly as she slept took his breath away.

She was achingly beautiful.

Stunning. Gorgeous. He heard other men comment on her beauty…on her body…

Appreciation. Lust.

But they were only reacting to what they saw in front of them.

He looked at Olivia almost every day as she sat across from him, and he'd be crazy not to see what other men saw. But he knew the whole Olivia. Her heart. Her intellect. Her fearlessness. Her compassion.

She was the most beautiful person he knew.

They had been through a lot in 12 years. They'd had their ups and downs…they had so many memories…good and bad. But he couldn't imagine not having her by his side.

 _Things were good._

He sat down in the grass, wrapping his arms around his bent legs. Elliot looked out at the lake, spotting a few swimmers to the left and a couple in a canoe in the middle of the lake. He let out a contented sigh; he was glad that Eli had bothered him about going on this camping trip. He had needed the escape…the calm. He glanced back at Olivia. He was damned glad that she had agreed to come along.

EOEOEOEO

Olivia came to slowly. She straightened her legs and lifted her arms above her head, arching her back as she stretched. She brushed her hair back from her face and swallowed thickly as she opened her eyes. She startled when she saw Elliot sitting just a few feet away. "El."

"Hey sleepyhead." Elliot said with a smile. "Did you have a good nap?"

She gave him a slow, lazy smile. "I did." She wasn't certain how she felt about the nicknames. _Princess. Sleepyhead._ She was going to go with it for now. "How long have you been back?" She sat up, folding her legs in front of her. "Where's Eli?"

"We got back about half an hour ago. He's crashed in the tent." Elliot said, motioning over his shoulder. "He'll be out for a couple of hours."

"Hmm." Olivia said. A couple of hours to themselves would be nice. "How was the walk?"

"Good. Eli ran around like a madman. We went a lot farther than I had planned." Elliot asked. "He filled up his bucket with all kinds of treasures." Elliot laughed. "It was fun. Except that I ended up carrying him almost all the way back." He pulled his shirt away from his chest. "It was hot in those woods."

"I see that." She had noticed the way Elliot's shirt had been clinging to him and the flush of his skin. It was as if he had read her mind, because in the next few seconds, he stood up and whipped his shirt over his head.

Olivia knew she should avert her eyes, but the muscles on the man were ridiculous. He wiped his shirt across his chest to capture the sweat that had pooled there, and her eyes followed his hand as he took another swipe down his abdomen. The man was ridiculously sexy, and she was thoroughly enjoying the view. She'd seen Elliot without a shirt many times, but it was something about the private setting…the sheen of sweat on his skin…and the thought that he knew exactly what he was doing.

"I'm going to go for a swim."

Before the words registered, she saw him reach for the button of his shorts. He had them unzipped before she recovered her voice. "What are you doing?" The panic in her voice was evident even to her, but he was already shrugging his cargo shorts down his hips.

Elliot looked over at her and saw the shocked expression on her face. But it disappeared quickly when she saw he was wearing his swim trunks beneath them. "Whad'ja think? That I was going to strip down naked?"

Olivia felt a pang deep in her belly as she imagined that very thing. Elliot must have read the expression on her face because he chuckled. She looked away quickly, sure that he saw the flush in her cheeks. She cursed herself inwardly; she used to be able to maintain such a poker face, but this experience had obviously torn away her normal defenses.

Or maybe she wasn't trying that hard. She felt as if all of her emotions…all the feelings she had suppressed for so long…had bubbled to the surface…barely contained beneath the surface of her skin. Each remark…each innuendo laden comment…threatened to breakthrough.

Elliot kicked off his shoes and the shorts that were around his ankle and started jogging down the beach towards the water. Olivia's throat felt dry as she watched him. His suit was slung low on his hips, and despite his size and bulk, he jogged easily towards the water. He didn't hesitate when he reached the edge, splashing as he waded in. When the water reached his knees, he dove in.

Elliot broke the surface of the water, letting out a yell. The water was colder than he'd expected, but it felt good. Refreshing. He saw Olivia sitting where he'd left her…one hand shading her eyes as she watched him. He had loved the expression on her face when she'd thought he was stripping down to his underwear…or maybe she knew he went commando more often then he should probably admit to. Not that he would strip down on a public beach. But he thought he had seen a flush in her cheeks. Maybe it was the heat, but he'd like to think she was having some inappropriate thoughts.

Maybe it was wishful thinking. Maybe he just didn't want to think that he was the only one.

He bobbed along the surface, treading water as he thought about his relationship with Olivia. They were playing with fire here, but he couldn't seem to find it in himself to be concerned. He was having fun. She seemed to be having fun. They seemed to have made some unconscious choice to throw caution to the wind, and he was here for it.

Olivia watched Elliot dive back into the water, moving farther away from the beach. He had been out there for a while, but then he turned back, swimming until he could wade back into shore. Her breath stuck in her lungs when she saw his feet hit the sand. Water was streaming down his body and his shorts were clinging to him, leaving nothing to the imagination. She bit down on her lower lip, thinking about how much she'd love to run her hands across his chest…trail her fingers along the deep muscles of his abdomen…until…

 _Christ_. She had to get a grip.

Her eyes flashed up to his, and she saw a small grin on his lips. The man knew exactly what she was thinking…

It wasn't fair.

 _But two can play at this game._

Olivia stood up as Elliot neared, but he stopped a few feet away from her. "How was your swim?" She asked.

"It was a little colder than I thought it would be, but it felt good."

"Great." Olivia said. And then, without missing a beat…and before she could second guess herself, she lifted the hem of her tank top and pulled it over her head. She dropped it on the ground, not daring to look at Elliot. She undid the button of her denim shorts, lowered the zipper, and dragged them down her hips, making sure she put a little extra sway in her hips as she did so. It felt a bit like a strip tease. She moved slowly…deliberately.

She knew she'd hit the mark when dared looked up at Elliot. His lips were parted, and his breathing seemed ragged. She saw him swallow hard as she passed by. When she brushed his arm with hers, she leaned in slightly. "My turn."


	6. Chapter 6

_That did not just happen._

Olivia Benson did NOT just strip off her clothes in front of him, providing an award-winning performance to go along with it.

Olivia Benson did NOT just reveal a very fitted black bikini…and provide him with an unadulterated view of the body that had filled so many lust-filled dreams…day and night.

 _Christ._ He might never sleep again.

He turned to watch as she walked down to the beach. So much bronze skin on display…the expanse of her back broken only by a thin band of black. His eyes trailed down her lower back and over the curve of her hips. The black bikini bottoms were snug against her ass, and his eyes lingered as she moved down the beach. And her legs. _Christ._ He wanted to have those long legs wrapped around him.

He couldn't tear his eyes away, and he felt raw, unbridled want course though is body. He scrubbed his hands over his face in an attempt to block out the view in front of him; he silently urged her to dive into the water. It wouldn't be good to sport a full-fledged hard on standing here on the beach. But when he opened his eyes, he saw the damned woman was lingering at the water's edge. _Fuck._ She knew exactly what she was doing, as he had when he had stripped down in front of her just moments before.

 _Goddamnit._ He could see the danger in this game now. Things were ratcheting up quickly between them…all boundaries seemingly gone. There was nothing governing this anymore. They had given each other license to look…to linger.

He wondered who would give in to the urge to touch first. _To taste._

Or maybe at some point, she would put on the brakes.

Olivia dipped her toes in the water. It was colder than Elliot had led her to believe, and she felt goosebumps break out along her skin. Or maybe the goosebumps were a result of her 100% certainty that Elliot's eyes were trained on her right now. She could almost feel his eyes trailing down her body, and she shivered slightly. Just two days ago, she never would have imagined herself stripping down like she had…of even wearing this suit…of purposefully teasing him like this. She'd give anything to be able to turn around and see the expression on his face right now.

The feelings coursing through her body were almost unbearable as she tried to imagine what was going through his mind right now. She could feel a flush creeping up her chest…her nipples hardening at the thought of Elliot's hands sliding over her skin…

Olivia raised a hand to her chest…feeling her heartbeat accelerating at the thoughts tripping through her mind right now. She swallowed hard, finally breaking her reverie and running into the water. She felt the cold water consume her, counteracting the heat and ache that had flooded her body. She dove under and swam, holding her breath until she thought her lungs might explode.

When she broke the surface, she turned and saw she was a lot farther out than she imagined. But it took only moments to find Elliot on the beach…still standing there…seemingly staring right at her. She turned and dove underwater again, escaping his steely gaze.

EOEOEOEO

Olivia didn't know if it was the heat from the midday sun or the from Elliot's gaze, but she was close to regretting her choice of suit. She felt bare…exposed…as she lay next to Elliot on the old blanket he had spread on the grass to replace her sleeping bag. There was a respectable distance between them, but as the relentless sun beat down on her, she could feel every inch of exposed skin.

They had been mostly quiet since she returned from her swim, except for Elliot's comments on the length of her swim and his concern that he was going to have to jump in and save her. She had scoffed at the suggestion, and that had been the end of it.

Olivia felt Elliot bump her arm lightly with something hard, and her eyes flew open.

"Want some sunscreen?"

As she watched, he flipped open the cap and squeezed some into the palm of his hand. She felt her body clench, waiting in both anticipation and surprise at the thought that he would reach over and spread the lotion on her exposed back…on the back of her legs. Anticipation was winning, and she clenched her body as he snapped the cap closed and tossed the bottle onto the blanket. But it was short-lived, as he brought the palm of his hand to his chest and started working the sunscreen into his skin. It left a glistening sheen against his skin, and Olivia swallowed thickly.

This was decidedly worse.

She watched the way his muscles worked beneath the surface of his skin and it left her breathless. The man was raw power…his strength on full display. She knew it…had seen the way he took down suspects and subdued perps. But there it was hidden beneath the cotton of his dress shirt…a sweatshirt…a suit.

It was a strange juxtaposition from his gentle touches with Eli…the way he held the small boy…took his hand.

It made her ache…imagining him pinning her to the ground…against a wall…on a table, contradicted by feather-like touches as his fingers trailed down her skin…over her breasts…between her legs.

"Did you say something?" Elliot asked.

Olivia realized she had closed her eyes again and thought she may have just let a small moan escape her lips. "No." She said, shifting slightly as she closed her eyes again.

"You want me to do you?"

Olivia's eyes flew open, biting back a gasp at his question. But she saw he was holding out the bottle of sunscreen again, but he had a mischievous grin on his face. He knew exactly what he'd said, and it had been meant to get a reaction from her. That's what she got for not responding.

"I can get your back." He said innocently.

Olivia lifted her upper body, propping herself up on her elbows. She bit down on her bottom lip, considering his offer. She could almost imagine the feeling of his hands smoothing lotion across her skin…the thought of it was arousing as hell. That thought alone told her she had to get her damned mind and body under control. It was just sunscreen for Chrissakes.

 _OK. Maybe her back. That would be OK. But not her legs. Elliot hands on the back of her upper thighs…slipping lower…_

 _No. Definitely not her legs._

"I don't bite Liv."

There was that grin again. That look. It unsettled her. She didn't know when or where this was all going to come to a head but the electricity in the air was almost palpable. It was almost unbearable. Olivia was just about to bite back with a comment of her own, when she heard a voice.

"Hey guys!"

Olivia looked around Eliot's body as he turned, and she saw Gabe, Bri and Dylan all trudging towards them. Disappointment sliced through her, but she also felt some measure of relief. She snatched up her towel and sat up, wrapping it around herself as she stood up.

"I brought Eli a treat!" Dylan held up a bag of Skittles. "Where's Eli?"

As if on cue, Elliot heard Eli calling out. "Mommy!" He rushed over to the tent, knowing Eli would be disoriented waking up.

"Getting some sun?" Gabe asked. He didn't wait for an answer before giving them a quick update on things that were going on in town. Bri and Dylan interjected where Gabe glossed over things they felt were important, such as the people on horseback they passed on the road and the multitude of flavors at the ice cream shop in town. By the time Elliot returned with Eli, they had already invited Elliot, Olivia and Eli over for grilled burgers and brats…ensuring them that they had replenished their stock of cold beer.

Elliot looked over at Olivia, trying to get a read on her opinion. Gabe and Bri were nice, and they weren't being pushy…they were just the kind of people that enjoyed getting to know other people. But he had invited Olivia up here for some peace and solitude…to spend time together. He didn't want to push her into this.

"Sounds great." Olivia said. "But we'll bring something to go with the burgers and brats."

Elliot nodded. The decision had been made.

EOEOEOEO

Olivia was glad that she had pulled on some leggings and had grabbed a sweatshirt. They had been busy that afternoon after Eli woke up, playing in the sand, building with Legos, and going on a hike. She had managed a nap in the hammock, and a shower, but her skin was still warm from the sun. As it set, a chill had set in. She looked at the boys playing in the dirt and Elliot and Gabe standing over near them with a beer in hand. They were laughing about something, and it made Olivia smile. This entire experience…this camping trip…it was good for him. She could see the stress had left him…maybe not completely but to some great degree. It made her think again about the toll the job took on him and on herself. And for the first time, she wondered about life beyond the job.

She felt someone bump her arm and she turned back to Bri.

"You've got it bad." Bri said, a huge smile on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"You and Elliot." She said, bumping her shoulder into Olivia's. "You guys look at each other like…" She shrugged her shoulders. "It just doesn't seem like it's been 12 years. You look at him like you're seeing him for the first time."

Olivia didn't know how to respond to that, but thankfully, Bri didn't wait for an answer.

"I could only hope that Gabe looks at me the way Elliot looks at you."

"It seems like the two of you are happy." Olivia said.

"Oh, we are. But sometimes it's hard to keep the romance alive. Life gets in the way, you know?" She took a sip of her beer. "And our jobs. We're both really committed to what we do, but sometimes…" She shrugged again. "You know…we let it become a priority over everything else. That's why we always try to make sure we get away. Reconnect." She sighed. "I'm sure you know what I'm talking about."

Olivia took a sip and nodded.

She did.

EOEOEOEOEOEO

Elliot carried Eli back to their campsite, and he disappeared into his tent to put him to bed. She heard Eli mumbling something and she realized he must have woken up. She let out a sigh, wondering how long it would take Elliot to get him back to sleep, and if he'd even come back out.

She looked at her watch. It was almost midnight and the only light was from the half moon. She wished they had started a fire in their own firepit, but there hadn't been a need. She shivered…the night air was getting cooler. She started cleaning up the site, putting away the leftovers from their dinner, Eli's toys and the other things they had used throughout the day. She had just put the food into the Jeep when she heard the zip of the tent.

"Liv?" Elliot called her name softly.

"Yeah." She walked up behind him and she saw him jump. She laughed but put her hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

Elliot laughed right along with her. "I didn't even see you. I was worried that maybe you had gone to bed."

"Nah. I was just trying to clean things up."

"Thanks."

They stood awkwardly for a moment, and then Elliot snagged her hand. "Come on. I want to show you something." He grabbed the blanket that was folded up and resting on the bench of the picnic table. He tugged her along behind him as the walked over towards the grass. She didn't offer any resistance…didn't ask any questions…and he thought that was a good sign. She had kept her distance to some degree once Gabe and Bri had interrupted them in the mid-afternoon, so he wasn't sure exactly where her head was at.

Elliot dropped her hand and spread the blanket out in the grass. He sat down and patted the spot next to him. Olivia sat down as directed but she didn't say anything. The night was quiet…he couldn't hear any sounds from the other campers…so he focused on the sounds that nature provided. The lap of the waves against the shore. The whisper of the wind in the trees.

"Do you hear that?" He asked softly.

"I don't hear anything." Olivia said, matching the volume of his voice.

"The wind. In the trees." He said. "The sound of the water."

"It's hypnotic." Olivia said, feeling her breathing slowing to the rhythm around her.

"Lay back." Elliot said, pushing gently against her shoulder. He heard Olivia's breath catch slightly, and before she could comply, he laid back on the blanket. "Look at the stars." He whispered.

Olivia lay back then and looked up at the night sky. The sky was filled with bright specks of light, some smaller and some brighter than others. It took her breath away…the sheer number dotting the sky was unimaginable. "Oh." She exhaled slowly. "It's…" She struggled to find the right word for the sight. "It's beautiful." She said, unable to find a better word. It was hard to believe that this number of stars dotted the sky every night and she just couldn't see them with the bright lights of the city. "Thank you."

"For what?" Elliot asked.

"For showing me this. For sharing this with me."

Elliot rolled over on his side, propping his head up on his bent arm. He looked down at her. The light from the half-moon reflected in her eyes and provided just enough ambient light so he could see the smile on her face. "You're welcome." He reached over and brushed her hair back from her face…his fingertips ghosting over her skin. "Liv…"

He could see her eyes focused on his and as he looked back and forth between them, he saw her lips part slightly…saw her take in a small breath and seem to hold it…saw her eyes widen slightly. He saw it then…permission…longing. He didn't hesitate then. He leaned in slowly, slipping his hand up to cup her jaw before he captured her lips with his. The kiss was soft…slow…and he felt his heartbeat quicken as she reached up and skimmed her hand through his hair, pulling him closer as he kissed her. She tasted like strawberries and beer and summer days and endless nights, and he know every detail of this moment would be captured in his memory forever.


	7. Chapter 7

Just in case you forgot where we left off last time:

 _He could see her eyes focused on his and as he looked back and forth between them, he saw her lips part slightly…saw her take in a small breath and seem to hold it…saw her eyes widen slightly. He saw it then…permission…longing. He didn't hesitate. He leaned in slowly, slipping his hand up to cup her jaw before he captured her lips with his. The kiss was soft…slow…and he felt his heartbeat quicken as she reached up and skimmed her hand through his hair, pulling him closer. She tasted like strawberries and beer and summer days and endless nights, and he know every detail of this moment would be captured in his memory forever._

Olivia could barely breath. The feel of Elliot's lips on hers was like nothing she could have imagined. It felt like everything in her world had tilted…the pieces shifting and falling into place. It was a rush of thoughts and feelings…security…desire…belonging…love…an overwhelming mélange that sent a rush through her entire body.

She turned her head slightly and opened her mouth, pulling Elliot closer as she deepened the kiss. He moaned lightly as she slipped her tongue between his and she felt a tingle of electricity from her head to her toes. Elliot's hand slid from her jaw into her hair, and she felt his fingertips dig into her skin. She could tell he was holding back; he was being careful not to let his body fall into hers, but God help her, she wanted nothing more than to slide her hands down his body and pull him flush against her.

But she had to let Elliot lead this because despite the teasing and the innuendo, she had no idea where his head was at. The man had been married for all his adult life and as far as she knew, he hadn't dated anyone else the entire time he had been separated…she didn't want to come off as some kind of wanton woman that would shed all of her inhibitions…as well as her panties…after one kiss.

Even if that was exactly what was running through her mind right now.

Elliot threaded his fingers through her hair in the hopes that it would keep his hand from sliding down to her throat…exploring her body. Images of her walking down to the beach and emerging from the water teased the edges of his mind, even as he tried to banish them for causing the desire that heated his blood.

He couldn't hold the moan that escaped as she swiped her tongue against his. He had never felt so goddamned turned on…so alive. This…this was like nothing he had every experienced before and yet, it felt like it was exactly what he'd always imagined. He had _known_. Kissing Olivia felt like… _everything_. All fear and uncertainty melted away and he felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be.

He could feel Olivia's ragged breathes as he continued to explore her mouth with his, but when her hand slipped from the back of her neck to his shoulder, he thought that maybe it was too much. That maybe she was trying to tell him to stop…that it was too much. He knew he was walking a fine line. The last thing he wanted to do was push her too far too quickly. Even though she had been the one to anchor him to her, he knew he had to take things slowly. He didn't want her to think he couldn't control his more base impulses.

Although…after kissing her…he knew that was going to be easier said than done.

Olivia slid her hand down to his shoulder, knowing she had to stop this. She felt Elliot pulling away and despite her disappointment, she knew it was the right thing to do. All of her self-control was slipping away and if he kissed her any longer…

Elliot pulled his mouth from hers, feeling the loss immediately. He leaned in, capturing her lips with the gentlest kiss before falling away from her completely. He fell back on the blanket next to her, letting out a heavy sigh as he stared up at the stars.

"Christ…" he whispered. "Liv…" He exhaled heavily as his hand searched out hers in the dark.

"I know." She said softly into the night. She tangled her fingers with Elliot's as his hand found hers in the space between them. She felt a shiver run through her body as the cool night breeze found her, now that Elliot's body wasn't shielding hers any longer.

They lay like that for what seemed like an eternity. Elliot knew it had only been a few minutes, but as nighttime sounds overtook the silence, his mind raced with all the things he wanted to say. In the next second, he felt her squeeze his fingers and he knew he had missed his opportunity.

"Good night Elliot." Olivia whispered, not wanting to disturb the quiet. There was a moment where she wished Elliot would reach out and stop her…and a part of her that was scared to death that he would. She didn't dare look back at him, for fear that he would read her thoughts. But as she knelt down to unzip the door, she turned her head slightly, getting a last look. He was lying where she'd left him…and she knew he wasn't coming after her tonight.

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot woke up early, still feeling restless and wondering what the day would bring. It had been difficult to sleep, and he'd heard Olivia moving around in her tent into the wee hours of the morning as well. He glanced down at Eli, happy that he was still sound asleep. He needed a few more minutes of silence as he replayed the memory of last night. He swore he could still smell her shampoo…still taste a hint of strawberry.

He climbed out of the tent, moving quietly so he didn't wake Eli or Olivia. He made a small fire and had just gotten the coffee boiling when Olivia emerged from his tent. He was surprised to see her so early, and a little nervous as to what the morning might bring, but he was pleasantly surprised as she smiled broadly at him. Despite the fact that he knew she hadn't slept much, she looked refreshed…fantastic. She was wearing black leggings and a white t-shirt, with an NYPD hoodie zipped against the cool morning air. She brushed her hair back from her face as she walked towards him without hesitation.

Olivia could see the uncertainty in Elliot's face as she walked towards him, but it turned into a smile as soon as he saw hers. Without hesitation, and before she could change her mind, she moved over to where he was standing. She pushed herself up slightly on her toes and placed a kiss directly on his lips. "Good morning." She said brightly, not daring to look at him as she dropped back onto her feet.

"Morning." Elliot said as he watched her reach for an empty mug. "Did you sleep well?" He asked as he lifted the hot kettle and poured her a cup.

She captured his eyes then and gave him a small smile. She shrugged her shoulders. "About as well as could be expected." She said. Olivia saw the smug smile on his face, and she smiled back at him again. "Yeah…well, I didn't get that air mattress you promised so…" She shrugged her shoulders again as she took a sip of the coffee.

"Princess." Elliot smiled.

It was going to be a good day.

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot wiped the sweat from his brow. It was hotter today, and there was no breeze in the woods. Olivia and Eli were walking ahead of him, and as he watched as Eli swung his bucket as he walked. Olivia was talking to him and he could hear Eli answering, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. He enjoyed the picture it made, and he wondered if Olivia still thought about having a baby of her own.

He heard Eli cry out and his heart stopped, but then he saw Eli running, and he knew it was a cry of excitement. Two seconds later, Eli popped up with something in his hands, yelling something unintelligible. He held up his hands towards Olivia, and he saw her take a step back as he showed her his prize. Elliot smiled as he caught up with them, surprised by her reaction.

"You're not scared of a little toad, are you?" He leaned over and inspected it before Eli dumped it in his bucket. He realized Olivia hadn't answer and he looked up at her as he straightened up and Eli started searching for more toads. "Are you?"

"I didn't say I was scared." Olivia said quickly. "I just don't like snakes and lizards and frogs. They're slimy."

Elliot took a step towards her with a mischievous smile on his face. She stepped backwards, and felt her ass connect with a tree. He braced a hand near her head. "I have to say…I'm surprised. You may be Badass Benson on the outside, but maybe you're more of a princess then I realized." He teased.

Olivia hadn't heard anyone call her Badass Benson in a while, but she wasn't so sure about the princess nickname. But she was going to have some fun with it. "I don't need to mess around with frogs El…" She got a mischievous smile on her face as she trailed her fingers down the side of his arm. "I already found my handsome prince."

Elliot couldn't bite back his smile as she ducked beneath his arm and jogged out to catch up with Eli.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia sat on her towel as she watched Elliot playing with Eli in the sand. At the moment, they were building a sandcastle and Eli kept running down to the wet sand to fill his bucket. Elliot glanced up at her periodically, as if to make sure she hadn't taken off. They hadn't seen Gabe and Bri all day, and she was a little thankful that they'd had the day to themselves.

There has been a lot of shy looks and innuendo laden conversation, interspersed with a kiss here and there. It was light and easy, and she couldn't believe how relaxed she felt.

"Libbia!" Eli yelled, and he waved his arm, beckoning her to come down to where they were sitting. She stood up, and Elliot looked back, asking her to grab the sunscreen. She snatched it off the towel and padded down to where Elliot was sitting. Elliot snagged Eli's arm.

"Time for some more sunscreen." He said in a silly voice. Eli play fought him on it, but ultimately gave in as Elliot tickled him, wedging himself between Elliot's legs as he sat down. Olivia watched as Elliot smoothed a fresh coat of the sunblock on Eli's back and arms, before he stood the small boy up in front of him, so he could get his shoulders and chest. He released the small boy with another round of tickling, and Eli escaped…back to digging a moat around the sandcastle.

Olivia sat down in the sand near the sand castle. "That's a pretty amazing castle you've built." She said to Eli. "Do you need any help?" Eli shook his head as he kept digging, and Olivia heard Elliot chuckle.

"He's kind of independent." Elliot said. "Thinks he can do it all himself."

"That's okay." Olivia said. "Sometimes you have to do things by yourself."

"Yeah, but teamwork is important too…" Elliot said. "Especially if you have the right partner."

Olivia turned to look back at him again, and she saw him shield his eyes from the sun as he looked at her. "Yeah. Having the right partner is everything." She said with a smile. She pressed her lips together, unable to keep her eyes from dropping down to his bare chest. Her eyes roamed over to his arms, trailing back up until she met his eyes again. "So…" She gave him a small smile. "Is that offer still open?"

Elliot looked at her in confusion, trying furiously to think of what offer she was talking about. He saw her eyes drop down to the bottle of sunscreen, and he remembered.

 _Want me to do you?_

He felt a pang rock through him as she met his eyes again. He could see her bravado was fading into uncertainty as he didn't answer, so he reached out and wrapped his hand around her bicep. "Come here."

Olivia got up from where she was sitting, and Elliot's hand fell from her arm. He watched her as she closed the small gap between them. She hesitated momentarily, but then she stepped between his outstretched legs. Before she could lower herself, he placed his hands on her hips…guiding her down slowly until she was sitting between his thighs. His breath caught in his throat as she reached up and brushed her hair away from her neck, baring her skin as she bowed her head slightly. The sight was erotic as hell, and he swallowed hard as he traced his fingers across her bare shoulders. He felt her shiver, and he smoothed one thumb over the smooth skin of her neck, rolling the chain of her necklace slightly. He felt her breathing quicken as he continued his light exploration of her skin…two fingers finding the dip of her spine and following its trail until it hit the narrow band of black.

"Elliot." She said breathlessly.

"Yeah." Elliot said as fingers stilled against her skin.

"The sunscreen." She heard his breathing resume, and she knew he'd been waiting for her to tell him to stop…to take his hands off her. She bit down on her lower lip…her body tingling from the way he'd been touching her. She glanced over at Eli, playing in the sand without giving them a second glance, and she relaxed against Elliot's touch. She jumped slightly as the cool lotion hit her heated skin, and the pressure from his fingers as he massaged it into her skin made her itch to touch him…to push him down in the sand and kiss him senseless.

As Elliot smoothed his fingers down to her lower back, she tensed slightly. She felt his fingers slip beneath the band of her bikini bottoms and she bit down on her lip again, as she felt a tightening in her lower belly. The next thing she knew, Elliot was slipping his hand around her waist and pulling her snugly against him. She resisted for a moment, but then fell back into his chest, shifting her body so she could wedge herself more firmly against him. She felt him gasp slightly as her ass connected with his body, but he snaked his arm around her waist and held her against him. Olivia closed her eyes and lay her head back against his shoulder.

Olivia listened to the sound of the water as it lapped on the shore and the voices seemingly muted along the beach. She felt the sun on her face, and the heat of Elliot's hand against her stomach. "If I could have this every day…this would be enough." She whispered.

Elliot buried his face in her hair, placing a gentle kiss there. He couldn't believe he was holding her like this…that she was letting him. Three little words were on his lips…and he thought maybe she was ready to hear them…

"Me too!"

Olivia's eyes flew open as she saw Eli running towards them. She saw the huge smile on his face as he dove into her arms…and the spell was broken. But she wrapped her arms around him as Elliot wrapped his around them both…and for the first time in a long time…she thought about a future with Elliot.


	8. Chapter 8

They were walking down to the main building, having promised Eli ice cream, and Elliot kept stealing surreptitious glances over at Olivia. After Eli had interrupted them on the beach, Olivia had slipped away and taken a long swim. When she had returned to the beach, she had disappeared into her tent, claiming she needed a nap after an afternoon of sun. He'd been playing at the table with Eli when she had emerged, and they'd made dinner together. Her mood was fine…she kept things light-hearted…and on the surface, it didn't appear that anything was off. But he knew her well enough to know that she wasn't completely in the present. He was anxious to get her alone for a few minutes, so he could find out what was running through her mind.

He hoped to God she wasn't having any regrets or second thoughts about anything that had happened between them on this trip.

"Swing." Eli said.

Elliot and Olivia lifted Eli's arms, swinging him in place. They were rewarded with Eli's giggles. They did it a couple more times before they reached the small store. Eli let go of their hands and ran inside as soon as Elliot opened the door, and he placed his hand lightly on Olivia's back as she walked in. It was the first time he had touched her since the beach, but while she didn't move away, she didn't acknowledge it either.

"You know something?" Elliot asked. "All the years I've known you, I don't think I've ever seen you eat ice cream." He smiled as they reached the counter. Eli was jumping up and down, trying to see over the edge at the ice cream flavors that were just out of sight. Elliot put his hands beneath Eli's arms and lifted him up, so he could pick a flavor. He looked over at Olivia, who was standing next to him. "You like ice cream?"

"I like ice cream." Olivia admitted with a smile.

"Well, I'm buying, so pick something out."

Olivia walked down to the other end of the counter, looking at the options. Elliot followed her, rattling off the names of the various flavors to Eli as he trailed behind her. It was busy in the store, and Eli was getting impatient, when one of the workers asked them what they wanted.

"You guys going to attend the big bonfire tonight? It's open to everyone in the campground. We'll have stuff for s'mores. It's usually a good time."

Elliot and Olivia looked at each other, and Elliot waited for some indication from Olivia. She just shrugged her shoulders, but then she smiled.

"Sounds like fun."

With ice cream in hand, they headed back to their campsite. Elliot wasn't sure he wanted to go to the bonfire. He wanted to get Eli into bed, so he could have some time alone with Olivia. This was supposed to be their last night camping. He had the spot reserved, just in case they wanted to stay longer, but he'd told Kathy it would be three nights. He figured that was about all that Eli would be able to handle. But now…

He was afraid of what would happen when they left Whispering Lake.

Suddenly, he heard a wail from Eli. He saw his ice cream on the gravel road in front of them, and he cursed himself for not watching him better. But then Olivia was kneeling down beside him and dumping the ice cream from her cone into his dish while she soothed him with some whispered words. She rubbed his back and he stopped crying, and Elliot just watched the interaction between her and his son.

 _God_ , he loved this woman. Every part of her.

He had to find a way to tell her…and hope to God that she was really ready to hear it.

EOEOEOEOEO

Olivia leaned over towards Elliot. "Tell my why we're having a bonfire when it's still 85 degrees outside." She whispered.

Elliot leaned back towards her…her hair tickling his face. "Because it's a tradition."

They had found out that the campground had a big bonfire on the beach once a week; it was a tradition as old as the campground itself. Everyone brought beach blankets and towels and found a spot near the fire. Some of the older kids were running around and playing outside the circle of people, but Eli was planted firmly in Elliot's lap.

"Hey guys!"

Olivia turned and saw Gabe and Bri walk up, and Gabe spread out the blanket next to theirs, set slightly back from the fire. Dylan plopped down immediately, and Eli pushed himself out of Elliot's lap and started to play with the toy cars Dylan had brought along.

"I'm so sunburned from today, the last thing I need is to sit by this fire." Bri complained. "We went out hiking all day. I put plenty of sunscreen on Dylan, but I guess I forgot about myself." She said with a laugh.

Elliot glanced over at Olivia and gave her a small smile. "Sorry to hear that."

"What did you guys do today?" Gabe asked.

"We just spent the day at the beach." He winked at Olivia. "But we made sure everyone was covered on the sunscreen."

They heard the details of Gabe and Bri's day, and the talk turned to other vacations and trips. Before they knew it, two hours had passed. It was almost 11, and Elliot knew it was time to head back to their campsite. Eli was hyped up on sugar from the ice cream and two s'mores, and he was putting up a fuss as Elliot tried to convince him it was time to leave.

Olivia could tell Elliot was trying very hard not to lose his patience, but Eli was having a minor meltdown. She didn't have much experience with these kinds of temper tantrums, unless they were fueled by some kind of trauma.

"Just go." She said as Elliot tried to wrangle Eli's little body. "I've got the rest." She watched as Eli struggled against Elliot's grasp. She knew Elliot was frustrated, but it was a little funny that a man that was so incredibly strong couldn't manage to pick up a little boy. She bit back her smile though, and then she saw the Elliot had a firm grasp on him as they headed down the beach.

"He's not going to sleep anytime soon." Bri said. She ruffled Dylan's hair. "This one either. They get overtired and then have too much sugar…" She shook her head. "It makes for a rough bedtime."

Olivia started folding up the blanket they'd been sitting on, shaking out the sand. She shoved Eli's toys into the beach bag Elliot had brought along and looked around to see if she'd missed anything else.

"Ready to go?" Gabe asked.

Olivia looked up and saw they were standing there, all looking at her.

"Ah. No. I'm going to be a few minutes." She wanted to make sure she had everything. "Go ahead."

"We can wait." Gabe said. He looked down towards the deserted beach and then back at her. "It's not a problem."

Olivia smiled, but she knew Gabe probably couldn't see it in the dark. "I'm a cop. Remember?"

"Yeah, but you're not on the job here…"

"I'm fine." Olivia said. "I'm sure we'll see you guys tomorrow."

"OK." Bri said. "Let's go. Dylan's tired."

"OK." Gabe sounded unsure, and Olivia appreciated his concern. But she wanted a few more minutes to herself. She watched them head down the beach, and she sat back down on the folded blanket. She had really hoped that she and Elliot would have some time alone tonight. But based on Eli's behavior and Bri's words, she doubted she was going to get a chance.

Olivia knew that they were supposed to leave Whispering Lake tomorrow. She wasn't sure what was going to happen once they left, and she kept hoping that Elliot would suggest they stay a few more days. She'd been anticipating it all day, because she thought they were having fun.

But he hadn't, and now she didn't know what to think.

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot heard Olivia come back to the site; it had to be at least 20 minutes after he'd gotten back. But Eli was still fussing, and he heard Olivia go into her tent. He was disappointed, but there was no way he could leave Eli until he was asleep.

When Eli was finally sleeping, he stripped off his shorts and t-shirt. The air was humid; it seemed like the temperature hadn't dropped at all tonight. He lay on top of his sleeping bag, willing a breeze to flow into the tent. He strained to listen for any sounds coming from Olivia's tent, but the only thing he heard was the night songs of the crickets and frogs. He shifted back and forth fitfully until he finally dozed off.

Olivia woke up with a start, unsure of where she was at first. She listened to the sounds around her, and it all came rushing back. _Whispering Lake_. It was stifling hot in the tent, and she brushed her hair back from her sweaty forehead. She had stripped down to her tank top and underwear when she had gone to bed, but her skin was sticky from the humidity. Olivia looked at her watch, and saw it was a little after 2AM. She was surprised to see how late it was, since it seemed it had taken forever to fall asleep. It was so hot inside the tent, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Olivia pushed herself up and unzipped the door to the tent as slowly and quietly as possible. She looked around, trying to make out the dark shapes in the campsite. Luckily, the moon was out, and provided some light, and the shapes turned into recognizable objects. The picnic table, the chairs, the cooler. She slipped out quietly, and debated zipping the door back up, but didn't want to make any more noise than necessary.

The air outside the tent was slightly cooler, and it raised goosebumps on her sweaty skin. She lifted her hair off the nape of her neck, and closed her eyes, listening to the sounds that surrounded her. The initial exposure to cooler air had been good, but now, she realized how hot and sticky it still was. What she really wanted was a swim, and she debated the wisdom of swimming in the lake at night by herself. But it was so damned hot, and now that she had the idea, she couldn't seem to let it go.

Olivia looked back at her tent, wondering if she should put her suit on. But there was no one out…the campground was quiet…and the dark of night would be a good cover. Besides…her tank top revealed less than her swimsuit did.

The decision was made. She would take a dip in the lake…let the water cool her body…and then slip back into camp and go back to sleep. Olivia padded quietly over to the picnic table and grabbed one of the beach towels piled there. She glanced back at Elliot's tent, and then turned and picked her way across the campsite towards the beach. As she walked across the grass, and then the cool sand, she looked around. There didn't seem to be any campfires; even the larger bonfire they'd had earlier tonight was out. Olivia could hear the water lapping at the shore, and then her toes connected with the wet sand. She inched her way forward until her feet hit the water, and she shivered. It was colder than she had imagined, and she hesitated as the water flowed around her ankles.

Olivia started to rethink her decision, but she knew she couldn't sleep until she cooled off. Before she could second guess herself again, she waded more deeply into the water. As soon as the water hit her knees, she dove in as silently as possibly, biting back a cry as her head broke the surface again.

 _Fuck!_ It was cold.

Olivia lay back and floated on her back as her body adjusted to the temperature. She wondered why it felt so good during the day but felt ten degrees colder tonight. But now that she was used to it, it felt good. It was a relief; it felt good. She looked up at the stars in the sky, smiling as she remembered Elliot showing her the night sky.

The water was in her ears, and the only thing she could hear was the beating of her own heart. It was soothing, and she fanned her arms in and out slightly to keep herself afloat. She stared at the stars, breathing in and out slowly…reveling in the peace and quiet of the moment.

Olivia didn't know how long she'd been floating out in the water, but she was getting chilled. She shifted herself and looked back towards the shore. She was surprised to see how far she had floated out, but she didn't feel alarmed. She pushed forward on her stomach, using a simple breast stroke to swim towards the shore, thankful for the moonlight that provided just enough light to let her see the way.

EOEOEO

Elliot woke up. He sat up, listening. Had he heard something?

He looked down at Eli, but the little boy was still sound asleep.

He realized his bladder was full, and he really need to take a leak. He climbed out of the tent as quietly as possible and walked on the far side of his tent. He knew he should move farther away, but it was late, so he relieved himself in the grass on the outside edge of the campsite. As he walked back, he listened to the night sounds. Luckily, the moon was out, so it helped him avoid tripping over anything and waking up Olivia and Eli.

As he looked over at Olivia's tent, he frowned. Her door was unzipped. That was odd, since he had heard her come back to the campsite, and he was 99% certain she had zipped it up. If she didn't, the bugs would have been a nightmare.

"Liv?" He whispered as he walked over to her tent. He hesitated when he was outside her door, but he didn't hear anything. He knelt down and peered inside, but Olivia wasn't there. Elliot's eyebrows drew together in puzzlement, wondering where in the hell she could have gone.

Of course, she could have had to go to the bathroom herself. He got up and walked around the campsite slowly, waiting to see if she would come back from either the woods or the bathrooms. A few minutes had passed, but there was no sign of her. Elliot started to feel uneasy, wondering if maybe he had heard her come back from the bonfire or if he had dreamt it. He told himself he was being ridiculous…overreacting. It was hot. She probably had trouble sleeping and had needed to get out of her tent for a while. There were only a few places she could have gone.

Elliot snuck back inside his tent and snagged a pair of shorts. He pulled them on, wondering where she would have gone. He peeked in at Eli again, and zipped up the doorway to the tent. He turned and headed towards the beach. There didn't seem to be anyone else out, and he scanned the beach as he stopped in the grass. He stepped out onto the sand, and it was only when he was about halfway across that he heard something in the water. He walked a little closer, narrowing his eyes as he tried to figure out what was making that noise. Elliot took a few steps closer when he tripped on something. He leaned over and picked it up. A towel.

Elliot lifted his head and scanned the water again. Olivia must have gone for a swim. He didn't like the thought of her out there in the water…especially in the dark. He couldn't see her, which meant she was too far out. But then he saw her, and she was getting closer to the shore. He saw her hesitate when she was about thirty yards out, and he knew she was probably startled to see someone standing on the shore. He didn't want to yell and wake up everyone in the campground, so he just had to hope she recognized him as she got closer.

She held her spot for a few more minutes and then he saw her moving closer to the shore. As she got closer, he saw her stop again, and he called out her name softly. He wasn't sure if she heard him or not, but she started towards him again.

Olivia could make out the shape on the shore now. _Elliot._ She wondered how she could have mistaken his shape and build for anyone else.

She swallowed hard…partially relieved and partially terrified.

She had wanted to have some time alone with him tonight, but now…her nerves were getting the best of her. She inhaled deeply, trying to slow her heartrate. Then she moved closer to the shore. She felt her feet hit the sand, and she stood up. Her shoulders and breasts broke the surface of the water, and she felt the water streaming from her hair down her body. Despite the heat, the air felt cool, and she felt her nipples harden. She wondered if the moon provided enough light for Elliot to see her, and she shivered at the thought.

Elliot saw Olivia emerge from the water. He had been expecting to see that damned black bikini, but ws surprised to see a white tank top instead. The moonlight reflected off her wet skin, and he could see that the tank top was nearly transparent now. The wet material clung to her body, and he could see a strip of dark skin between the edge of her tank and the small patch of white lace at the apex of her thighs.

He tried to look away, but he was a selfish bastard, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. His eyes wandered up and down her body, taking in every detail. Then he realized she had stopped…her body still in the water to her knees. He tore his eyes away from her then, feeling guilty. She hadn't been expecting him to be out here; he needed to respect her privacy. He held up the towel, spreading it out with both hands so she could cover herself.

Elliot heard the sound of the water splashing around as she walked out of the water, and he had to work hard to focus his eyes anywhere else. But his body was going into overdrive; he couldn't unsee what had already been right in front of his eyes, and knowing she was only getting closer had his body humming. He felt her reach for the towel, and he released it immediately. He turned his head then, and his eyes connected with hers.

"I couldn't find you. I was worried…" He started.

"I needed to cool off."

Elliot tried to keep his eyes on hers, but he could tell that she made no move to wrap the towel around her body.

"Did it help?" Elliot asked.

"Yes." Olivia's eyes dropped to Elliot's lips. "And no." She parted her lips slightly. "It's really hot out tonight." Her voice was a raspy whisper. Olivia dropped the towel then and took two steps forward, closing the gap between them. She slipped her hand up the side of Elliot's neck and pushed herself up on her toes, pressing her lips against his.

Elliot jumped as her cold, wet shirt hit his chest, but it was forgotten the moment he felt her nipples scrape against his chest and her mouth on his. Olivia turned her head and deepened the kiss. Elliot put his hands on her upper arms, unsure of what was happening right now. She had taken him by complete surprise, and he wasn't sure how to react.

Elliot felt her lose her footing slightly in the shifting sand, and their kiss was broken. He felt the loss of her body against his, the air cool against his wet chest. But then she was sliding her hand down his right arm until her hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Come take a swim with me." Olivia said. She walked backwards until their arms were outstretched.

Elliot looked at Olivia and he realized he had severely underestimated the woman standing in front of him right now. She had clearly made up her mind about something, and the look she was giving him right now was seductive as hell…sultry. He watched her lower her eyes, looking at him through her dark lashes, until she pointedly lowered her gaze.

"Lose the shorts."

Her comment hit him squarely in the groin. It was bad enough that the moonlit view he'd had of her was making him lose his battle with his impending hard-on, but now that deep tone of her voice coupled with her demands was making it nearly impossible. He was so turned on right now.

He didn't know how far she was taking this, and he knew he should put on the brakes but there wasn't a sane man alive that would deny her right now.

She dropped his hand then, and started back into the water slowly, never breaking eye contact with him. Olivia stopped wading backwards as she saw Elliot made no move to join her. "Do I need to do it for you?" Now that she had committed to this, she wasn't going to back down. As much as she could see the conflicted emotions on Elliot's face, he couldn't hide the lust in his eyes or his physical reaction to her.

She bit back a smile as he went for the button of his shorts, and she held her breath with the thought that maybe he would strip off everything and follow her into the water. But he shrugged his shorts down over his hips and kicked them to the side, and she could see a pair of black boxer briefs. The dark underwear hid her ability to see just what was hidden beneath, but her imagination filled in the blanks and she had no doubt she was right. That cocky attitude and swagger didn't some from nowhere.

Elliot saw Olivia watching him, and he felt a strange mix of desire and guilt as he walked slowly towards the water. At his very core, he wanted to take whatever she was offering. He had thought about this, dreamt about this…for longer than he cared to admit. Even now, as he stood there looking at her in the moonlight, he wondered if he was dreaming. But there was a part of him…the protective, possessive part of him…that wanted to make sure she knew what the hell she was doing.

"Elliot." Olivia said impatiently. "Don't keep me waiting."

Elliot heard the demanding tone of her voice, and his guilt faded away. This was a woman in charge of herself…of her sexuality. She wasn't being shy or playing hard to get. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Olivia started to lose her bravado when she saw Elliot wasn't moving towards her. She started to question what she knew. _Oh God…what if she came on too strong?_ He was probably used to being in charge. A man like Elliot…he would be the aggressor. The one that initiated sex in his relationship. She couldn't imagine that his wife…his _ex_ -wife…had been very demanding or imaginative in the bedroom.

She had told herself to take things slowly…not to push him. _That was a whole…what? 24 hours ago?_

Her libido and sexual frustration had gotten the better of her.

But she needed this to happen. Here and now. Before they left this place.

Because if it didn't, she didn't know how she was going to survive going back.

Olivia toyed with the edge of her tank top. She either had to ratchet things up, or back away. She saw Elliot's eyes flicker to her hands…she had his attention now. She lifted it slightly, baring more of her stomach…pulling the wet fabric tight against her peaked nipples as she bunched the fabric in her hands. The sensation of the rough material against her sensitive nubs made her moan, and she closed her eyes as her body reacted to the motion. She could feel the slickness between her legs, and she thought she might actually be embarrassed if Elliot knew how wet she was right now.

The thought of Elliot's fingers sliding between her folds caused another moan…and she wondered if she stood here long enough…just imagining what Elliot might do with his hands…his mouth…his tongue…

God…maybe that would be enough to get her off.

Elliot could hear soft moans coming from Olivia and _goddamnit_ …he was instantly hard. The way she was twisting that shirt…he could see her dark nipples poking through the fabric and those magnificent breasts…he needed to touch…to taste. He was in the water, barely noticing as the cold water nipped at his skin.

He was on her a few seconds later, pulling her wrist roughly from the bunched-up material and pinning it behind her back with his hand. He kissed her roughly and pulled her body against his, pressing her into his groin. His erection pulsed against her, and she moaned into his mouth. He moved his body slightly, finding the juncture of her thighs, and he ground his body against hers. Olivia ripped her mouth from his and her head lolled back. He attacked her neck with his lips and his tongue, soothing the marks with his tongue. He wasn't giving her any time to respond, using his hand and hers at the small of her back to hold her tightly against him. He used his leg to push her legs apart slightly, swinging them around so he was the one in slightly deeper water. She moaned openly as he rocked against her.

 _Christ._ He knew he was being rough with her, but she had started this…she had upped the ante…and she wasn't backing down. He felt her fingernails of her free hand dig into the sensitive skin at the back of his neck and he bit down a little harder on her neck in warning.

Olivia knew exactly what Elliot's warning meant, but she was not going to slow this down. She had unleashed something in Elliot and it was exactly what she wanted. She trusted him implicitly, and she wanted him to take her…consume her. And she him. It had been building for too long to take this slowly.

Elliot released her hand then. He needed his extra hand to explore. He trailed his hand down over her collarbone…dragging the wet tank with it…until he could take her breast in his hand. Their moans intermingled as he took the weight of her in his hand, massaging…squeezing. He ran his thumb over her pebbled nipple and Olivia bit down on the skin of his shoulder. He did it again and again and he felt her body jolt with each swipe. Then he teased and squeezed it between his thumb and finger, and she was breathing hard…panting.

Suddenly, he hated that they were in the water. He wanted to see her spread out before him. See the body that had inspired so many lust-filled dreams. See the expression on her face as he touched her in every conceivable way.

Elliot broke away from her, and it left Olivia feeling disoriented. One minute, his hard body had been pressed up against hers. _Hot and urgent_. But then his hand was clutching hers and he was moving towards the beach. He stopped suddenly, and she bumped into his back. She pulled her hand from his and wasted no time in sliding her hands down his back, exploring the definition of his muscles. He stood perfectly still as she placed open mouthed kisses on his shoulder blades…ran her tongue down the ridge of his spine. Her fingers teased with the waistband of his briefs, and then she slid her fingers beneath the elastic, tugging them down slightly so that she could slide her palms down his ass. He jumped slightly as she squeezed…and she was distracted by the thought of him driving inside of her… the powerful muscles of his ass and thighs working to bring them to climax.

She slid her hand around his hips as she pressed her lips into his skin, tugging his briefs lower and moving towards her intended target. But it was only seconds before his hands were on hers, stopping her before she could touch him.

Elliot wrapped his hands around her wrists and pulled them from his skin. There was no way he was going to be able to handle her touching him. They were already going a hundred miles per hour and the throbbing ache between his legs was almost unbearable. He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her further up on the beach. Their bodies were better aligned now, and he grasped her lips with his. He kissed her hard, sliding his tongue between her lips and eliciting another deep moan. He smiled against her mouth, loving the uninhibited way she was expressing her pleasure.

He wondered if she'd yell his name when she came.

Elliot pulled her body against his. He couldn't seem to get close enough. Their clothes were wet…restrictive…and he needed them gone now. He knew it was a risk out on the open beach, but at this time of night (or was it early morning?), no one should be around. He started lowering them to the ground…knowing the wet sand wasn't the best option. In his dreams, there had been a soft bed to lay her out on…crisp sheets beneath them…

But there had also been tables…

Walls…

Countertops…

Elliot was dragging her to the ground, and Olivia felt her heart rate soar. Her body was on fire and she was so ready for this. She spread her legs slightly, and Elliot fell to his knees in between them. She reached for him, and he took her hand in his, but he didn't make any move towards her. He simply stared at her, dragging his eyes all the way down her body. Olivia trembled beneath his stare, and when his eyes reconnected with hers, her breath caught.

"Olivia."

He dragged out her name. His voice was deep…throaty…a heady mix of desire and danger. He leaned over and slid his hands along her legs, propping them up so her feet were flat on the ground. He placed a gentle kiss on her knee, and she jumped at the contact. He turned his head and kissed her other knee while his right fingers trailed down her inner thigh with feather like touches.

Olivia couldn't keep her hips from lifting off the ground…she didn't want any more teasing. She just wanted him to touch her.

"Patience." Elliot whispered. But truthfully, his own patience was thin. He had to force himself to slow down; there would never be a first time again. He ran his hands down her thighs, letting his thumbs slide along the soft, smooth skin, until he was leaning over her stomach. He lifted the edge of her tank top and placed a kiss on her abdomen. He felt her muscles twitch beneath his lips…and then her entire body was trembling as he lifted her shirt and kissed his way up her stomach.

When Elliot reached her breasts, he lifted her shirt up and over, and Olivia was forced to lift her arms, so he could rid her of it completely. He took a moment to take her in, letting out a small groan at the sight of her laid out before him.

"You're so beautiful Liv." He whispered.

He lowered his mouth and took one of her breasts in his mouth as he took the other in his hand. Olivia was writhing beneath him now, lifting her hips. She slid her thigh across his erection and his mouth slipped off her breast as he let out a loud moan. He was already on the edge, and Elliot quickly put a hand on her thigh to warn her off. She shifted her hips again, and Elliot dropped down, pressing his length against her core. She bit back a swear word, and he smiled as he kissed his way up her chest. He sucked her bottom lip between his before he planted his mouth more firmly against hers. He kissed her hard, grinding himself against her.

Olivia had wanted to feel Elliot's mouth on her, but right now, she just needed to feel his brute force between her legs. She would settle for slow exploration afterwards…because hopefully this was just the first act. She reached down and tugged at his briefs. The damn man had managed to keep them on this entire time, but she needed them gone. Her own underwear was pretty much useless at this point, but these two thin pieces of material were the only thing keeping them apart.

Elliot reached down and snagged his own underwear and dragged them over his erection until they were down by his knees. He didn't waste another moment before he pressed himself against her panties. He felt himself penetrate her slightly, and he knew she had to be so fucking wet.

"Elliot." Olivia could hear the begging in her own voice, but she was beyond caring.

Elliot rocked against her again, but he leaned over and looked down at her. His eyes went back between hers…wondering…questioning. He could hear the urgency in her voice, but he needed to know she was okay with this. He could say she had started it…that he had followed her lead…but he had been the one to ratchet things up. He had dragged her to the beach for Chrissakes…torn off her clothes.

Olivia felt Elliot's momentary hesitation. Despite the fact that she was the one that had started it, she could see the uncertainty on his face. He was asking permission, even though she was the one that had seduced him…had played on his desire. She didn't want him to stop things now. "El." She looked back and forth between his eyes, pulling him towards her. "It's OK. Really. It doesn't have to mean anything." She whispered against his mouth as it ghosted over hers.

Elliot pulled back abruptly. "What?" He couldn't have heard her correctly.

Olivia ran her hand up the side of his cheek. "I want this…even if…" She couldn't put a voice to her thoughts. "I don't expect anything from you." She tried to pull him back towards her, but he resisted.

Elliot held his body above hers, disconnecting their lower halves. "Olivia…" he took a deep breath. "This… _Christ_ …do you think that I would be here with you…like this…if it didn't _mean_ anything?" He saw the truth in her eyes. She had learned not to expect anything from the men in her life, and it cut him deeply to realize that she thought he was another man in a long list that was going to fail her.

Olivia turned her face away from him, wondering how things could have changed so quickly. She cursed herself for saying anything when a simple yes would have been enough. She felt Elliot's fingers on her chin, and he turned her face gently back towards his. He brushed her hair back from her face.

"Olivia." He took a few short breaths, hoping he could make her understand. "That you could think…" He shook his head slightly. "This. You. Me. _Us_. It's…it's _everything_."


	9. Chapter 9

"This. You. Me. _Us_. It's…it's _everything_."

The words were still hanging there, and Olivia wished she could take her own words back. Olivia reached up to smooth her hand over his cheek and draw him back to her, but Elliot resisted. "I'm sorry." She whispered urgently. "I just…I wanted this…wanted _you_ …so much and I know you…" She couldn't seem to find the right words. She hadn't wanted him to be plagued with some ill-timed sense of honor…or to start thinking about what he might perceive as an overwhelming sense of obligation afterwards for having slept with her. She just needed this to happen because it had been too many years…

"I what?" Elliot asked, his voice tinged with anger. "Did you honestly think that I would just treat this like some casual fling? That this means nothing to me?" He stared down at her incredulously. "Other men may have used you for sex Olivia…or maybe you used them. But that's not me." He pushed himself off her and sat down hard next to her, flinging himself backwards in the sand. He lay one arm across his forehead and let out an exasperated sigh. "And I can't believe you don't know that. That you don't know me better than that."

"I _do_ know you." Olivia said as she exhaled heavily, letting his other comments slide. "You were looking at me like…" She pressed her lips together. "Like you weren't sure you were doing the right thing." She rolled over on her side towards him, but he didn't look at her. He kept his eyes trained on the stars. "I didn't want you to have second thoughts or feel like…"

His head turned to face her now, and he just stared at her. He was waiting for her to continue, but Olivia faltered. She was starting to feel exposed and vulnerable, and her first instinct was to pick up her towel and escape…head to the safety of her tent…away from Elliot's eyes.

She closed her eyes momentarily, and she heard a heavy sigh from Elliot.

"Just go Olivia." Elliot said, falling back against the sand.

Olivia could hear the disappointment in his voice, as if he could read her very thoughts. It was a broken record…the way their relationship had always gone. He _expected_ her to leave him here on this beach.

This time, it _had_ to be different. They had come so far. Olivia reached deep inside herself, to a place she didn't let herself go very often. "Elliot." She said his name softly, almost reverently. When he didn't turn his head to look at her, Olivia found herself pushing her body upward. She intended to slide her body over his, but before she could, he seemed to know her intent. In a flash, he was up and had pushed her back against the ground, caging her body with his.

"I just want you to know Olivia…" He started, his voice tinged with anger as he stared down at her. he stopped, staring back and forth into her startled eyes. He was breathing heavily, and Olivia could see him struggling with his emotions. She didn't know if he going to say something that would save them or would sever them forever and it shook her to her core.

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop to think about it. "I love you." The words felt strange after having held them in for so long, and her voice was shaky. "I love you." She said again, her voice stronger this time. The relief in her was imminent, as if something had been released, freeing her. But she also knew that it was now that she was at most risk…Elliot could cut her with a single denial, and she wouldn't survive.

Elliot looked down at Olivia, barely able to process what she'd just said. Those words, coming from her, practically knocked the breath from his body. He never expected her to say it…at least not until _after_ he had made a similar proclamation. And even then…he knew that her admission wasn't easy for her. This wasn't some trick…some tactic to get him to do what she wanted him to do. To manipulate him. For Olivia to let her guard down…to expose herself like this to him…was an amazing gift.

"I love you." His words came out in a rush, and he pressed his lips against hers gently. Then he was peppering her face with light kisses, saying it over and over again. He was practically giddy, feeling a sense of awe that he was allowed to say those words to her. When his mouth found hers again, she opened her mouth to him and he kissed her deeply. Now that their truth had been revealed, each kiss seemed sweeter…more important…more urgent.

He felt Olivia's body shift slightly beneath him, and he felt her push her legs against his. He lifted one leg and put one knee between her legs and then the other, and he felt the heat return as he kissed her hard. It didn't take much for him to return to his previous state, and he pressed his erection firmly against her covered sex. "Liv." He said, his voice drunk with desire. Then he felt her move her hands from his waist to her own, and she was tugging at her panties. He lifted up slightly and his hand bumped hers as he dragged them down her upper thighs until he could use his foot to remove them completely.

Olivia spread her legs, and she gasped as the tip of his erection penetrated her slightly. He held himself there for a moment as he kissed her neck roughly…sucking and biting her skin. He trailed his tongue up to her ear and whispered her name again as he bit down lightly on her earlobe. It was a question…as he pulled his hips back slightly, losing contact with her momentarily. He was giving her one last out…making certain.

Olivia raked her nails up his back, arching hers so that her breasts swept against his hard muscles. She dragged her hands back down his back as she lifted her hips, and even though she was breathless at the thought of what was about to happen, she pressed her hands against his hips and gave him a breathy yes.

Elliot reached down with one hand, and swiped his fingers down her wet folds, making sure she was ready for him. Her body jolted as he slid his hand to her inner thigh and opened her up to him. this moment wasn't lost on him, and he didn't want to rush this, but he knew that once he was inside of her, he wouldn't be able to contain himself.

Olivia lifted her hips again, uttering words of encouragement. He smiled and captured her mouth with his, sliding his tongue between her lips as he entered her. Their moans were mingled, and as he felt her walls close around him, he ripped his mouth from hers. _Christ_. He pulled out slightly and then slid back inside of her, pushing against her body's natural resistance. He didn't want to hurt her and God…she was so tight. It took all of his concentration not to come right now…the sensations were overwhelming as her muscles contracted against him. He lifted her leg, pressing it upwards as he fought for that last inch…until he was buried inside of her as deeply as possible.

"OK?" He said, his voice strained as stared down at her.

Olivia's body was trembling, and she realized her eyes were closed. She opened them to see Elliot's intense gaze. "Don't stop." She managed to choke out, and she arched her back slightly. "Move." She encouraged him and squeezed her fingers into his side.

Elliot couldn't hold back any longer. He slid back slowly and grunted as he drove back inside of her. He saw her eyes had slipped closed again, and he bowed his head as he concentrated on the feel of her body…the sounds she made…as he fucked into her over and over again.

Olivia's hands left his body as she grabbed at the loose sand, trying to ground herself as Elliot pounded into her. He was stealing her breath away, and she was panting heavily, but she encouraged him on by meeting him thrust for thrust. She could feel her body tightening…wonderful sensations overtaking her as he filled her completely. He was in so deep, hitting places inside of her that sent her body into overdrive and she couldn't stop the moans that were tripping one over the other. She wanted to commit every moment to memory. The satisfying sounds of their bodies connecting…Elliot's weighted breaths against her skin…the feel of him deep inside of her…the sand digging into her skin…and the sound of the waves on the shore. This was it for her. Even if she and Elliot made love a thousand times in the years to come, this would be the memory that stayed with her forever.

Elliot faltered slightly as his own body started to tremble. He wasn't going to be able to hold on for much longer, not with the way her walls were constricting around him and her incessant, throaty moans. "Liv." He managed to choke out.

Olivia could hear the warning in his voice…but she was right there with him. He had shifted his body slightly, and he was hitting her at just the right angle and then…white, hot heat snaked through her body and she clutched at his arms as she tumbled over the edge, tightening her entire body around him as all her breath left her. She heard Elliot swear, and in the next second, she could feel his release inside of her…pulsing against her tight walls…the warmth spreading through her lower belly. Elliot released her leg, falling against her lightly as she wrapped her legs around him, holding him in place. He moaned against her neck as they lay like that for a few seconds. Then he was bracing himself again and kissing her wildly and without restraint.

When Elliot finally released Olivia's mouth, he shifted slightly, and she let out a small noise. "Sorry." He whispered a small apology as he smiled down at her. He brushed her hair back from her sweaty brow and tried not to make any movements. "You OK?" He asked, still keeping his voice quiet. He wondered now how loud they'd been, and he wanted to look up…to make sure no curious campers came to see what was going on down at the beach. But he couldn't take his eyes off hers.

"What do you think?" She asked, giving him a small smile. Truth was…she was going to be sore. It had been a while for her, and there was no way you could take a man like Elliot and not feel it afterwards. But she would take the ache willingly. Sex had always been a physical act for her…but this…she didn't have words.

"I didn't know if it was ok to…" Despite what they'd just done, it felt strange to talk about sex with Olivia. Sex…relationships…anything personal had always been off limits for them.

Olivia found Elliot's shyness endearing. It wasn't a quality she saw in him often. "It's OK." She knew exactly what he was asking. She had wanted him to come inside of her…loved the sensation of him. "I'm covered."

Elliot leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "You know what? I don't care if you aren't." He didn't want to scare her, but he could see a new life laid out in front of them now. He could see the possibilities.

Olivia was shocked by what he was saying, but she found she wasn't scared by it. It surprised the hell out of her.

"I'm gonna…" Elliot shifted slightly, and Olivia nodded. He slipped out of her, and then fell back on the sand. He pulled her towards him, until her body was nestled against his. "I could stay like this forever." He whispered as he buried his face in the crown of her head. "I love you."

Olivia smiled against his skin, loving the sound of his words. She could feel the remnants of him between her legs, reminding her that this was all so real. She pressed her lips against his chest and he pulled her more tightly against him.

They lay like that for a few minutes, and questions started swarming in Olivia's head. She tried to shut them out, but she couldn't.

Elliot sensed her restlessness. "How about a swim?" He disentangled himself from her and pulled her up with him. She put up a weak protest, but he could see a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. He held her hand as they walked into the water, both offering up muffled swear words as the cold water hit their heated bodies. As if on cue, they both dove beneath the water as the same time, and moments later, they both broke the surface. Olivia wrapped her arms around Elliot's neck, and her legs around his waist, and their kiss was slow and deep. Elliot wrapped his arms tightly around her, relishing the feel of her body against his. He broke the kiss and buried his face in her neck. "You know…I'm going to be walking around with a permanent hard-on now." He said with a small laugh.

"Like you haven't been for the past 12 years?" Olivia teased. She dug her legs into his, pressing herself against his groin.

Elliot looked up at her, a big grin on his face. "You. Are trouble." He said, almost proudly. "I'm seeing a whole other side to you that I never knew existed."

"And you love it." Olivia said, giving him a salacious look before she slid her mouth achingly over his. "Now how about we get out of this water and have a little repeat performance on the beach."

"Nothing little about it." Elliot said with a cocky grin, and he waded to the shore, all too happy to oblige.

EOEOEOEOEO

Elliot sat with Olivia's back pressed against his chest as they sat and looked out over the water. She had the towel wrapped around her body, and the watched as the first light of dawn sent muted streaks of light into the night sky. Sunrise was still almost an hour away, but they knew they had to get off the beach before anyone eager to capture the sunrise on film came upon them.

He rested his chin on her shoulder, squeezing her lightly with the arm wrapped around her waist. They had both been quiet for the last twenty minutes or so…each lost in their own thoughts as their bodies cooled…recovered.

"What happens now?" Olivia finally asked, the light tone belaying the importance of the question.

"We could stay a few more days." Elliot said. "I have the campsite." He knew that wasn't what she was asking, but he didn't have the answers for her.

"That's not…" Olivia started.

"I know." Elliot said. He hesitated a moment. "What do you want to happen?" He wanted to let her know he wasn't pressuring her, but she also needed to know that he wasn't going to let her slip away. When she didn't answer right away, he spoke up. "I don't have all the answers Liv. But we both know we have to figure this out. Neither one of us wants to go back to the way things were. So, let's just figure it out as we go. Together. There's no rush. We don't have to decide everything right this moment." He squeezed again and placed a kiss on her bare shoulder. "OK?"

Olivia relaxed against him. "OK." Another moment had passed. "But El?"

Elliot braced himself, unsure of what she was going to say. "Yeah?"

"Honestly? I think I've had enough of sleeping on the ground."

Elliot chuckled. "OK."

"Remember when you asked me what I was going to do on vacation, and I said I was going to crawl in bed and not get out until vacation was over?"

"Yeah."

"Well…we still have five days of vacation left so…" She leaned her head back and looked up at him. "I have this great, big, comfy bed…" She pressed a kiss on his lower jaw. "Want to join me?"

The End.

AN: I know this wasn't as much of a light-hearted romp as I wanted it to be, but I still had a lot of fun writing it. Thanks for reading, and for all of your support and reviews!


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